Enough is Enough
by Sha Yurigami
Summary: We have seen many times how the adults try and salvage what was already broken to begin with. We saw their tears and despair and relished while the twisted turns of fate moved on their own accord. But there are those who do not want that and scream at the stupid Adults: Enough is Enough!
1. Ilyasviel's Big brother or Sister?

Yesterday both her mama and Kiritsugu left to go to Japan. It was the first time that her mama went together with him and Maiya- whom she still couldn't figure out no matter how long she watched the stoic woman- and then there was that nice blond woman she had never seen before.

She rolled around lazily on her bed, shoving aside the many teddy bears Kiritsugu brought back from his travels. It was getting lonely in the castle really really fast and she really wanted to do something that didn't have to do with reading or playing with dolls.

That blond woman came to mind again. Fair skin, green eyes and a smile so gentle that she could have sworn that the woman wasn't human. But, even if that was the case…she wasn't either.

Ilyasviel always knew that she wasn't really human. Especially with how different she was compared to the others in the castle. Sure she lived like a princess and she could get nearly everything she wanted but whenever she looked at Kiritsugu, she knew that she was different.

Rolling was getting boring so she slumped onto her back with her arms outstretched. This room was really huge and really spacious…and really empty. No matter how many things she got and how much she tossed around and threw stuff against the walls, the space never filled. In fact she was pretty sure that the maids had secretly schemed to make this room look as empty as it can possibly get!

"They are also different..." she whispered. The maids were strange, always have been. They never step into her room with knocking, never smile, never complain and above all else: They never play with her!

She wanted playmates! But no~ they always tell her that they weren't allowed to because of this and that and that Master Acht didn't create them for that. She didn't understand what they meant, but whatever it was she didn't want to find out.

The ceiling looked as depressing as it always does. She never looked up much when mama was there and Kiritsugu always had her attention when he was around. Why was she looking up again?

Right. mama has gone with Kiritsugu. "Really now, why can' I have any siblings, at least then I wouldn't be stuck here all alone." a pout formed on her lips and she jumped up from the bed, then tripped on the sheets and falling on her face. A growl escaped her lips before she threw herself off the bed onto the floor. Slowly rising to her feet she attempted to stealthily walk towards the large door of her room. She carefully cracked it open to look into the hallway.

No maid in sight. Good. She carefully opened the door wider taking one last look into each side of the corridor before rushing out. Since she lazied around on her bed the entire time she forgot to put on shoes, only now noticing how cold the castle floors were. But she moved fast, who knows when they would come after her.

Ilya knew that she would never be allowed to walk through the castle on her own, too many secrets she could stumble upon and maybe somehow ruin everything, but she didn't care for those. They would stop her somehow when she got there, if she went and looked for them but since she didn't care for those her little feet carried her to the nearest closet. Inside were a pair of winter boots and a purple jacket with matching hat. She slipped into the clothes ready to go where she wanted to.

She moved fast but carefully along the walls, avoiding the candle lights and light bulbs, staying in the shadows for as long as she could -like one of those spies from the movies she saw with mama, though she wonder why they all had the same name- having fun trying to imagine her leaving the castle for good and going after her parents. Alas that would probably never happen, still she enjoyed thinking like that, at least this way her boredom would go away -for a while.

Moving down the halls Ilya nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw one of the maids walked passed her into the kitchen. Thankfully she didn't see her as Ilya hid in the last second behind a statue of her ancestor. Thankful for her short height -for once- she moved out of the shadow, tiptoed passed the kitchen – she would steal her snacks later when she got hungry – towards her true goal.

The door to the church was as massive as she remembered, she was like ten times smaller then the entire gate, though the door knob was just a couple heads above her. A brief thought went to the question to how she was going to open the door but it was dismissed the moment she spotted a chair not far from her. Hurriedly she moved the furniture - rather she pushed it, really you can't expect a little girl to have herculean strength – attempting to make as little noise as possibility as she placed it in front of the doorknob.

After trying to climb up the chair three times she finally managed to stand on the chair. Admiring the view she acquired through her own effort, she then grabbed the knob with both hands mustering all the strength she had in her little frame to turn it. She only stopped putting so much effort into her actions once she heard a familiar clicking and saw the door crack lightly. A beaming smile formed on her lips once she saw her accomplishment - though jumping from the chair to the ground unprepared was a big mistake, now her feet felt all tingly – shoving the chair aside to open the gate further.

The first thing she saw inside were the blinding lights shining through the top windows, near endless appearing rows of black benches and a large altar at he end of the hall with a white fabric and the family crest stitched on it, half falling and partially covering the front. Ilya came here a few times, with her mama, but she was still small and couldn't remember the church being as big as it appeared now. Maybe it was because mama carried her on her arms or because Kiritsugu never let her look at everything more carefully but she felt really really small in this place.

And while it was still day, it felt as if night never ended here. The light was cold the church empty and her stomach felt a slight knot forming. But she wouldn't stop. Here her mama and Kiritsugu summoned that blond and she wanted to find out how! No really, it bugged her how much the adults never told her anything and all her grandpa did was glare at everything and anything even when he was sleeping and she pained doodles on his face…oh the scolding she got afterward-mama protected her then but she was sure would she do the same without her parents then it would be very very scary.

She walked slowly towards the altar, taking notes about how the light didn't reach her feet and how the ceiling was as boring as the walls – weren't churches meant to be really really pretty with paintings of angels and Jesus and window decorations in different colors? - she pondered only a little feeling colder and colder with each passing step.

She reached a slight clearing in front of the benches and right before the altar. For a short moment she felt warm but didn't know why as she stepped right between benches and altar. She could still smell the Prana in the air and a familiar presence she couldn't quiet recognize. She raised her finger to her lips trying to place this unknown feeling somewhere in her little heart. But since that was a waste of time she instead looked at everything and anything.

"Need's to be investigated" she whispered feeling like a detective in one of her mama's novels. She tried to look for a way to climb up the altar, wanting to get a better look at everything from a higher viewpoint but since her human ladder -Kiritsugu- wasn't here she wasn't sure if she could make it, looking down to her feet and feeling defeated she pondered if she should just go back to her room and watch a sappy romance movie instead.

Until her red irises saw something on the ground. She crouched down getting as close to the object of her interest as possible. She practically pressed her face to the pavement looking at a near impossibly small thin line of light. It was probably residue Prana from the summoning her parents had performed and her tiny body jolted upwards with joy at finding what she was looking for. She even did that embarrassing dance her mama thought her with the fist bumping in the air for her job well done.

Now she needed something to draw the line after. Looking around half excited and half frustrated since she forgot her crayons in her room -foresight before rushing wasn't her forte after all – but then her eyes landed on something equally useful.

It was a box filled with that strange and disgusting smelling powder that they sometime use in the sermons. She wondered if she could use it to draw the line after -then decided to just do it like her mama taught her and from one moment to the next she grabbed the box took two hands full of powder and threw it onto the ground. If her studies of Magecraft that those sleazy old maids taught her anything than that a summoning circle would draw the nearest material it could find in -only a small amount that it would make it look as if nothing happened at all - and since fragments were still there she could at least hope that some of the incense would get sucked in – now that she thought about it but sucking always gave a pretty disgusting sound especially with those toilet stamp thingies.

And just as she had hoped small amounts of the incense disappeared, making it clearer and clearer where she had to gather the scattered powder to form real lines.

Once she was finished she looked at a five headed star with two circles around it and some runes sprinkled here and there. Huffing in satisfaction she put both hands to her waist and bumped her chest up to show how proud she was of herself. Until she heard a loud cracking from the gates behind her. Ilya nearly jumped out of her shoes when she heard it and slowly turned her head to look at no other than her dear and beloved very gentle and totally terrifying grandpa. She stepped backwards nearly tripping over her own feet when she saw him – still avoiding her handiwork on the ground, as if she would ruin her own hard accomplishment!

Old man Acht gave her a glare that could freeze the entire world -if it wouldn't snow like everyday outside anyway- approaching her slowly with a few dozen maids following after him. She knew that he was going to scold her, maybe command the living dolls behind him to bring her back to her room immediately. She didn't expect him to slap her face.

Ilya was on the ground clutching her left cheek which started to pulsate with tears leaking out of her eyes. She tears fell onto her handiwork- now destroyed due to her flying over it from the force he hit her with. She looked back at the old man who gave a disdainful look as if he had touched dirt before looking at the summoning circle she attempted to make.

"Why did you make this?" he asked her slowly, still not looking at her "Why did you come into the church even though I forbid you? Why are you here and drew this summoning circle?"

She didn't know what she had done wrong and she certainly didn't know what he was talking about. She only wanted to come here and see and feel what her parents felt. She wanted to experience what they did and wanted to share her goals with her mama, wanting her to tell Ilya that she did something good and gave her all the warm hugs and kisses and she only wanted to be with her mama and Kiritsugu and feel them close to her. She didn't want too feel pain, she didn't want her grandpa angry at here!

"Answer me little homunculus." the glare he gave her nearly made her leak into her dress. She didn't like him, she didn't like those emotionless dolls always doing nothing but work, work here, work there and never playing with her, never talking with her and never showing anything other than that slight bow that annoyed her.

As she didn't answer him the old man crouched and grabbed her face forcibly digging his fingers into her cheeks. It hurt.

"Your turn won't come until either you parents fail, be they alive or dead." he said coldly standing up, dragging the girl with him forcibly. She wanted to protest and scream that he wasn't allowed to badmouth mama and Kiritsugu but the only thing that left her were more tears and a silent plea that everything should go back to how it was.

But it will never be.

The summoning circle once destroyed flared with white light, reforming itself. She looked back at it feeling the presence from earlier twofold, threefold even, remembering now where she had felt it.

* * *

When Ilya ran after her parents that day, she did expect them to pack everything they needed. She didn't expect a blond woman wearing a black tuxedo to be in her mama's room. The woman looked at her briefly before smiling gently. Her mama came from behind her and lifted Ilya up to eye level with the newcomer.

"This is my Ilya." her mama said proudly making her blush slightly "And this is Saber." her mama said handing her to the blond. The newcomer looked a little unsure at what to do but Ilya was having none of it and actually jumped from her mama's arms into the blond's who caught her instantly.

"Hello" she greeted making the blond blush but with a smile "I'm Ilyasviel."

"Greetings Ilyasviel, I am Saber." she blond said with such a clear voice that Ilya was sure she could sing the best lullabies ever- well after her mama.

"Are you going to protect mama?" Ilya wasn't stupid, she knew her mama was going to become the grail -since they had talked about it before many times- but it didn't mean that she couldn't worry for her and hope that she'll be safe.

"Of course" the blond said without hesitation handing her back to her mama before bowing to both of them "I solemnly swear that I will be her sword and shield and that no harm shall befall her."

* * *

This was the feeling she had when Saber promised her to protect mama. The feeling of a knight in shining armor who would risk everything to protect their princess.

And in fact a knight appeared. Together with a white mark on Ilya's right hand. The knight was clad in silver armor and red fabric hoisting a silver sword at their side while it knelt in front of the altar. Most notable about the knight was the helmet it donned: a silver helmet with horn growing to the backside upwards and three small slits for breathing and seeing.

The knight remained unmoving, for but a second it looked as if it was empty, until it lifted itself to stand in front of everyone in the room. Ilya felt safe, the moment her eyes laid on the knight -incidentally also being the moment Old Acht let go of her face – immediately running to them to hind behind them.

The knight looked down, moving its head slightly, to look at the child that clung to its leg, the white marks on their hand shining ever so brightly. It moved its hand and moved it over the child's head. A pat.

The child looked up with curious eyes almost seeing the knight's eyes as they were obscured by the helmet. Ilya didn't know why but she felt that she was the safest with the knight before her. Maybe they could get out of here together and go after mama and Kiritsugu.

"Impossible." Acht whispered from where he stood frozen. Ilya couldn't believe her eyes, this was the first time that the old geezer had shown anything other than his glare and it was the most glorious sight she had ever seen -minus maybe the time she rode on that bear her father ran away from screaming for forgiveness (Why did that happen again?)- and she relished the fact that she accomplishment yet another thing today.

"What is the meaning of this?" Acht demanded before a sword appeared right at his throat. Eyes widened as he watched the knight threatening his with impalement -okay maybe this wasn't going as planned-

"Please don't kill him" Ilya said to the knight who looked at her. They shared a look, she was sure of it, but she couldn't tell what the knight was thinking and she didn't what him to hurt anybody -sure Acht was a piece of art but he was still her family no matter how much she wanted to scribble on his face and kick his shin. Thankfully the knight dropped the sword, still threatening the room and still being the most powerful appearing presence but less bloodthirsty.

" _Why is my Master hurt?"_ the knight asked his voice coming of as a mix of bad sound-effects and Kiritsugu's smoke induced coughing. Ilya wondered who was behind the mask but pushed those thoughts out as she wanted nothing more than to get out of there and look for mama.

"So you truly are a Servant? How is this possible, all seven have to be summoned by now?" Acht muttered, unfortunately ignoring someone whom he shouldn't ignore.

" _I asked why my Master is hurt."_ the knight pressed lifting his sword again. This time the old geezer couldn't ignore it and immediately looked at Ilyasviel.

"Ilyasviel stop this Servant of yours!" he demanded but the little girl only raised an eyebrow before sticking out her tongue while she pulled one of her eye lids down -maybe he shouldn't have hit her, she thought smirking inwardly at his panicked and gradually bleaching face.

It was priceless seeing the cold and meany grandpa looking like a little girl in tears after getting their heart broken thrice by the same guy without any good reason only for him to go back and slap her face -and what movie did Ilya watch that it immediately could be associated with old Acht's face?- anyway it was glorious to see him panic like that.

Alas it couldn't last and grandpa composed himself again to look as prim and proper as he did before, the maid behind him pulling out Javelins and Axes out of god-knows-where pointing them at the Servant.

"So you managed to break the system Ilyasviel. Good, very good. Prepare your Servant and leave for Fuyuki then" the man said motioning for the maids to wait. Ilya was confused, she didn't know how fast her grandpa could change his moods and it unsettled her a little that he was again cold and calculated.

She felt her head being pat again.

Ilya felt her hands relax at the motion and looked up at the knight. Said Servant just held her sword to Acht's face again not even hinting at stopping anytime soon. Her eyes wondered to grandpa who looked even more stone-faced than usual.

" _Don't want to."_ the knight said into his face who contorted with popping veins everywhere. The glare he gave the knight was so frightening that Ilya was contemplating whether this should go on or if she should listen to him. _"I only listen to the commands of my Master and last time I checked she was the one with the Command seals and not you geezer. So f*ck off"_ the knight continued nearly making Acht and Ilya's eyes fall out. She giggled when she heard the Servant insult her grandpa- still shocked over the choice of words and she'll need to ask mama what it meant-. She never got to see many people and didn't know what was going on here but any form of relieve was just that and she would love to see Old Acht getting insulted everyday -but she didn't and she wanted to get out if here.

"I want to leave. I want to find mama and Kiritsugu." she whispered, barely for anyone to hear and she feared her words would crawl back into her mouth at how timid they were. Until she the hand that pat her lifted her onto the knights shoulders. She quickly grabbed the horns on the helmet in fear of falling down but noticed that a hand was still on her back.

Acht was furious and was about to say something, alas he was stopped the moment the sword on his neck began to glow crimson "You wouldn't dare!" he actually shrieked making Ilya laugh out loud. But the knight didn't answer him swinging the sword instead just barely missing Acht and throwing the benches which Ilya believed to have been dug into the pavement through the hall.

" _She said we leave, so we are going to leave and you will let us."_ the knight said gallantly making grandpa take a few steps back. Whatever was going through his head in the moment didn't matter as he let her and her Servant walk past them.

"I'll expect results Ilyasviel!" he screamed just as the now duo left the church.

The knight didn't turn his head as it attempted to speak to her again _"Where to now Master?"_ he asked and Ilya pondered hugging the helmet. _"Master?"_ now that she could actually go wherever she wanted, Ilya was both confused and afraid. She didn't know what to do and mama or Kiritsugu aren't here to help her. She felt the hand on her back reach upwards to her head, patting it gently.

" _Don't worry Master,let's first find out where your parents are."_ the knight said making her feel calm and protected again. The walked for a while with Ilya giving the knight directions as to where her room was -the only place she actually knew every nook and cranny of. She motioned for the knight to let her down again, since the armor she sat on was actually pretty uncomfortable. Letting her down both of them took a good look at each other.

The were now in her room. Still as spacious-maybe even more now since it looked as if the maids cleaned everything again. Without a warning the knight knelt before her-though the sword disappeared from one moment to the next – pulling a gloved hand over his chest.

" _We actually forgot our formalities"_ the knight said taking Ilyasviel's hand with the utmost care and tenderness _"I am the Servant Saber. It is my honor Master."_

Ilya blushed a little -she read enough stories over knights to know that this was a big deal already!- still wondered a little about a certain thing the knight said.

"My name is Ilyasviel, but please call me Ilya" she said with a smile hearing a light chuckle from the knight "But what do you mean with Servant Saber? I thought Saber went with mama and Kiritsugu?"

The knight looked up at her _"Pardon?"_

"I mean…I- ahh" she felt embarrassed "Uhm, before mama left she introduced me to that blond woman and she called herself Saber and then they left and I was lonely and nobody wants to play with me and I feel lonely and I want to go back to mama and Kiritsugu already…" Ilya felt alight nudge on her head, the knights hand which slowly traveled down and wiped the tears from her cheeks.

" _It's okay, now I understand."_ the knight said reassuringly.

"Can I see you face?" she asked feeling the hand on her cheek stiffen a little but then the knight nodded. The helmet slowly dissolved into thin air, revealing blond hair tied roughly in a ponytail with long bangs framing his(?) face. Ilya now realized that the knight in front of her was actually a woman and even more shocking was the resemblance _he_ had with her mama's companion.

"You look just like Saber." Ilya concluded with wonder in her eyes and voice but they had the opposite effect on the knight whose eyes widened with shock.

"What?" the knight asked, but was stopped short when Ilya touched her face gently.

"You're so pretty." she said making the knight blush slightly.

"Stop it, I'm a man." Ilya tilted her head in confusion.

"But you're pretty."

"I don't like being called that."

"And you're a girl."

"Only my body, but I feel and life like a man."

"So you are a man with the body of a girl?" Ilya asked with childlike enthusiasm which apparently made _Saber_ unable to look t her straight.

"Yes." the knight answered with a gruff tone- though _Saber's_ cheeks were getting red-.

"Okay." Ilya chirped surprising the knight who looked at her as she counted the things they needed to do now "Should we pack stuff? I mean we need to go find mama and Kiritsugu and Maiya and what do we take with us? Can I take my plushy?" the knight stopped her with a gentle smile and a pat.

"We should take what we need and leave the rest here" Ilya looked at the knight in horror, stealing a giggle in return "I know you want to take as much as you want but if you lost something during our journey wouldn't you feel even sadder?" the argument worked and Ilya begrudgingly nodded "Also I have a pretty good idea where your parents are."

"Really? Where?"

"Where else but Fuyuki. If they have a Servant then it means they are taking part in that ritual." the knight said making Ilya bounce around in excitement. She ran over to her closet while Saber walked after her.

They packed Ilya's favorite clothes and a spare thingies into a large suitcase. They continued to farther put stuff in until she noticed something crucial.

"Do you also want to wear a tux?" she asked Saber who looked at her slightly confused. Then thoughtful. Then contemplated the options on each hand. As Ilya watched her antics she began to giggle and laugh "Can I call you Onee-chan?" she asked before cupping her mouth.

The knight looked again, unsure which question to answer and opting to do both "As long as I wear that tuxedo-if you have one hear that is my size-so long are you to call me Onii-chan got it." the blond said with a smug smile but Ilya was having none of that pointing at the Disney Princess dress behind her with a thumb -Cinderella was her favorite.

"Onee-chan, or you're going to wear that princess dress." how she knew why threat would work against her Servant she didn't know, what she did know now was that Saber's face held the purest form of terror at the mention of a princess dress. The blond hung her head feeling as if it was no use to argue with Ilya.

"'Kay, but don't even dare mention that nefarious clothing ever again." Saber said with a pout. Ilya just laughed and tackled the Servant with a hug. The knight didn't reciprocate at first but put his arms around her anyway. Ilya could have sworn she saw something in those green eyes but maybe she was still to young to understand what it was. But when the knight smiled she couldn't help but beam.

The finished packing up. Despite Ilya's expectations a Maid was waiting for them on the other end of the hallway. Saber pulled Ilya's luggage behind him following her dressed in an open black tuxedo -which laid around in the closet thankfully- and black shirt which was only half buttoned up- also showing what little bosom _he_ had-, black gloves and black pants with black leather shoes to complete the outfit.

The maid motioned for them to follow her, and Ilya wonder what was going through their heads. She imagined that some of the maids had created their own society with the plan to upsurge Acht from his position in the family so that they can conquer the world. Saber's hand on her shoulder stopped her train of thought. She followed the knight grabbing his soft hand in the process. The blond didn't look at her hiding green eyes behind golden locks – she was smiling though.

When they arrived at the front gates Ilya marveled at the sight of a long white limousine, though she contained her excitement since she had the feeling that grandpa had something planned. Just a few steps between her and the outside world. Her tiny feet took one step after the other, stopping short in front of the cold air. She hadn't felt this intimidated when it was her and Kiritsugu.

Why was she scared now?

A gentle thumb rubbed the back of her hand. She looked up and saw the green eyes focused on her -an unspoken promise on his lips, reassuring Ilya that no matter what happens she wouldn't be alone- taking the step together with her.

"Do you have horses here?" Saber asked making Ilya look at him in confusion -he wasn't going to ride with her on a horse through the cold was he?

"No, all horses were attacked by wolves the last time they were ridden. Master Acht wishes for both of you to use this vehicle trusting in your driving ability and that you will safely arrive at Fuyuki before the dawn of the next day. There are also tickets for a flight directly to Japan inside." the maid explained.

"How far to the next city?" Ilya stared worriedly at Saber, having a vague idea what the blond was going to do -half for and against it- but the knight only walked to the car, opening the driver side door.

"Around half an hour drive, there is enough fuel in the tanks to drive you to Munich or Vienna depending on the airport you want to take. Maps are on the passenger seat." the maid bowed "I will leave now to inform the master of your departure and we wish you the best of luck."

She walked past Saber to Ilyasviel taking one look at her with a nod "Good luck Ilyasviel" she whispered so softly that Ilya wasn't sure if her ears were playing tricks on her -so they do have feelings- joining Saber as she sat on the driver seat pulling a pair of sun glasses from somewhere and putting them on.

"You look neat." Ilya said taking seat right on Saber's lap- somehow climbing up people was easier than chairs- , who then placed her on the passenger seat and buckled her up. Ilya was swaying her legs happily before the engine ignited. A gut feeling told her that it was going to be dangerous -if Saber's driving was anything like her mama's than she would need to prepare her stomach- but the blond just patted her head.

"I was never known for reckless driving," Ilya smiled at that "Only for reckless fighting." her smile disappeared.

"Fighting isn't good" she said with a gruff at which Saber just laughed lightly.

"I guess you're right." the blond whispered slowly driving away from the castle. Ilya took one last look at her home of eight years, she felt as if she was never going to see it again -maybe for the better- but wherever this journey was leading, she was sure that she was going to see her mama's smile.

* * *

Part one: Ilyasviel's Big brother or Sister?

* * *

Next part loading…

* * *

A/N: This story was born from the desire of vengeance! No seriously, when I thought back to all the children that were massacred, mutilated, violated, murdered…the list goes on, I felt one burning desire in me and so its here!

I'm solely relying on my readers to give me tips where Ilya's journey leads her first :Germany or Austria or someplace else on the way to Japan?

So give your votes and to those waiting for an update to True Love, place wait until the end of the month.

Also this story isn't Ilya focused per se so the next chapters will be dedicated to the other children who have a bone to pick with the adults.

So please do me the favor and R&R

Yours dear

Sha Yurigami


	2. Rin Tohsaka vs Loneliness

Rin really shouldn't be here. She had promised her father to be a good girl and she had kept that facade for a while on but ever since _she_ left, she couldn't bring herself to be happy again. She tried to laugh for her mother, she tried to laugh for her father but she absolutely refused to smile for that slime Kirei.

So what if the Holy Grail War was important. She was a child, not an adult and couldn't act like a cold machine every time she entered her own home. Now father even wanted her and mother to go to mother's parents. And while she loved her grandpa and grandma dearly she couldn't understand why she wasn't allowed to be there.

Rather she refused to accept it. Since _she_ was given away her mother didn't smile. Sure the corners of her mouth went up but that's it. Even if she was a child, she still understood that her mother was hurt. Really, really hurt. So she forced herself to smile as well.

So why was she tailing father from behind a bush? No really, why was she here? It was getting late, mother was going to worry and father was about to perform a ritual which might determine whether he was going to return home in one piece or in a coffin. Last thing she remembered was exactly that! Father said he was going to summon his Servant and that he'd take Kirei with him to make sure everything goes as planned.

Ah, right. That was why she was here. Father was about to summon his Servant and she wanted to see him. Sure she shouldn't be here but father was very doting and he wouldn't -no he would, he gave _her_ away after all- she really didn't know how to feel about that. On one hand she knew that father knew what was for the best but on the other hand…

Doesn't matter now, she wanted to see a Servant summoning with her own two eyes so she had sneaked behind both Kirei and her father to the church feeling more and more nervous by the minute since this was something that father had prepared for his entire life. He looked into every legend, learned every spell in his study and mastered his crest. All for the sole purpose of reaching the Root.

The Root. Now that Rin thought about it, what did that mean anyway? She knew that the Root was an accommodation of all knowledge, but what would her father do once he got there? Would he become god?

She had to giggle at that thought, nearly exposing herself, but she was sure as she walked behind the two that they hadn't noticed. It was still noon in Fuyuki, although the fog around the old church was still going as strong as it did this morning and the morning before. There was rarely a time there wasn't a fog around the church even on sunny days.

The adults entered the Church, father before Kirei. She never liked him, that fake priest! He never showed any emotions, never smiled, was never nice and acted as if he was superior to her -only because he was a senior student- but those thoughts halted once she noticed that he looked over his shoulder. Straight. at. Her. The smirk on his face was more than enough for Rin to nearly jump out and lash out at him.

Though he did leave the church door open.

She waited for a few minutes, thinking about the possibilities once again before rushing after the men in a wild hurry. She really didn't want to miss the summoning.

Alas she missed it as a large ray of light flooded the church the very moment she stepped through the open door. It was so bright and shiny that it hurt her eyes, making it hard for her to see anything in front of her. Rin stumbled around for a few seconds trying to blink her sight into existence again until he heard her father shout something. She wasn't sure what it was but that wasn't as important as her slowly returning sight.

Once she could see again, Rin rushed to the confession box close by and hid inside. She knew that her father would come up soon, very very soon. Then she would get her chance to look at his Servant.

Now she had to wait. Inside a dark dusty wooden room with an uncomfortable couch, a window obscured by a gutter connecting to the the the seat where a Father would usually sit and listen to the sins of common folk…or mother whenever they came to the church for sermon.

Now that she got the chance to think about it, why did they come to this church that often? Had it something to do with the Grail? Probably. But why was Father Kotomine and his less than human degeneration, called son, co-working with father? Was that allowed?

Either that or father loved this dark and creepy church with those rows of empty benches and candle holders. Seriously, how did they get so many, was it usual for a church to have so many? No that she would know since they never went to any other church than this…then again: Where they even catholic?

She hated waiting. She really did. Waiting meant too much time thinking and with nothing to do other than sit and wait, it meant that her mind could wander to places that would be better ignored then explored. She should have carried a bag with books or some other things if she had known that her plan would fail.

Failure. Father always said that one grows from his failures and once they were done one has to improve on them. She wondered how many times he failed, if ever. He always looked prom and proper without a shred of insecurity. Was that a result from failing many times or was father just amazing. Like the way he makes that horrible red tuxedo work. On any other person than father it would look ridiculous but he made it work. Then there was his goatee.

Rin wasn't envious of men with facial hair but looking at father's beard she wished she had some. Then she immediately stopped that train of thought at how stupid it sounded for a girl to want man hair. Had any of her friends seen how she day dreamed about man hair she would be the laughing stock for entire years!

Then again she caught her friend Kotone staring at their Math teacher…did that count? She was sure it did since it was equally as embarrassing as being fascinated with the physics of how father's beard remained that flawless pointy form.

A knock from the other side of the gutter window startled her, nearly resulting in a shriek but she composed herself mentally to look at the offender on the other side of the gutter…who happened to be Kirei.

"Your father has left the Church with his Servant." the fake priest said through the other side of the Confession box. She could feel his smirk from the other side and was sure that he could see her clearly. "Do you want to tell me what you are doing here Tohsaka Rin?"

She hated the way he said her name -there here a few of the main reasons why she hated Kotomine Kirei! He's obnoxious, cold, mean, smartass-ish(She really shouldn't know this wort but after hearing her teacher say it once was enough to ingrain it into her mind), mean, loved to poke fun at her and above all MEAN- "I wanted to watch how a Servant was summoned. For future references and such…" she said trailing off at the end but refused to tell him more.

"Kirei is everything alright? Has a mice wondered into the church again?" -oh dear lord why did the Kotomine family hate her this much?- dear Father Kotomine asked his dearly beloved and cherished child with both concern and -humor? Was that humor in his voice? Did that the honorable Father actually know that Rin was inside the confession and enjoyed torturing her by withholding that knowledge?

"No father, I merely wished for a few silent moments." Kirei slimmed with as much smugness as a slug like him could acid at anybody. The way he talked as if she was a small matter and how his father actually doted on him as if he was a precious child that only came after every two thousand years -in a way she could see it but only negatively!-

"I understand, it is not everyday that one is in the presence of the first heroic Spirit." she could hear the esteemed Father sigh "Even I admit that his presence has me shaking. But at least this will ensure Tokiomi's victory in the War. Who would had expected that he'd actually call _him_ forth."

Not really understanding what the Father meant she simply listened to him ramble on about how father's Servant was so powerful and so mighty and soooooo~ arrogant and haughty. Really? Why would father summon a Servant that acted as if he was the king of the world? But as long as he came back home safe she really didn't care what Servant he summoned, he would probably be the strongest no matter what class he was summoned into.

But the conversation between the Kotomine's felt a little strange to her. Sure she knew that Kirei was father's student and that they had some sort of agreement but only know she got to understand that her father might-

Nah that couldn't be. Her father would never do that, right? Surely not with a Servant as powerful as his right?

"Do you understand the strategy, Kirei?" Father Kotomeanie asked his dearly beloved esteemed son who just sat bobbing his his head.

"The moment Caster is summoned, I am to command Assassin to attack the Tohsaka estate" Rin's eyes widened at those words, what was that baddy talking about "then after Archer eliminated his I am to come to the church and ask for protection making the other Master's think that Assassin is no longer a danger."

She couldn't believe her ears. What did Kirei let her overhear? That was insane, why did he let her listen in on such an important conversation and more importantly: Why didn't Papa Kotomeanie notice her yet?

Her questions found an early end once the door to the box was opened forcefully. Her heart stopped -or came close to- and it didn't help that Kirei actually smiled into her face as if he was enjoying watching little children nearly wetting their favorite dresses!

"My father left and will not be back before the night, if you wish to look at the room in the basement where your father's summoning took place, I will be more than obliged to accompany you." the meany said with so much smug that Rin feared that it could be contagious.

"Why did you let me hear that? And more importantly why didn't you tell on me?" she asked fully aware that the fake priest must have somehow masked her presence.

"Why not, you were worried about your father and even made me promise to ensure his safety, why not get a little confirmation about a plan that will ultimately ensure his safety and victory." he said without a smile "And the reason why I hid you was an act of kindness from one student to another."

"And you are going to sacrifice your own Servant for that?" she quickly changed the subject back to the War, fully aware that his kindness had a price that she was going to pain one day. The question on her mind however was: how was he going to ensure father's safety if the meany didn't have his Servant any longer.

"Do not worry about that" the brown haired fake priest said, his emotionless eyes looking straight in to hers. She felt dirty just knowing that this slime was looking at her at all "My Servant isn't all that it seems and your father wouldn't have proposed this strategy if my Servant couldn't survive it. We are only playing the other Masters so that they think that Assassin isn't there to scare them in the night."

Something about that explanation sounded fishy -or it was just Kirei's breath- anyway he would show her to the summoning room. Then that meant she could feel and experience at least a little of what father must have felt in the moment the Servant appeared.

"Lead the way." she commanded, not commenting on Kirei's smirk.

"But of course." he moved out of the way, allowing her to finally leave the stuffy Confession box -she would still keep an eye out at the creep since she didn't want too much contact with him- and take a long last look at the dusty old church. A grunt formed in her throat but she wouldn't let it out -it was unbecoming of a lady from the Tohsaka family to make noises in front of others, or at least she thought that since father never did something like that-.

Moving as many feet away from Kirei as she could Rin followed the stoic man to the right side of the building where a door lead to another door which lead to a staircase going down. She gulped at the feeling the darkness in front of her gave out but followed Kirei as he held a chandelier -popping up from out of nowhere like everything this meany does- and moved ahead of her.

She followed with unsure first steps which quickly became proud strides once she realized that there wasn't much to fear right now anyway. Although the moment she stepped into the room where the Heroic Spirit had appeared Rin felt nauseating as if the presence she felt at the church entrance was still lingering in full force inside these walls.

Kirei left the chandelier on a cupboard moving past her "Please enjoy your time leisurely." the fake priest said leaving _her_ alone in the dark with the only source of light being candles!

-Urgh, how much she hated candles right know!- But since this was her chance to feel what her father felt she let it slide for once. Instead of thinking too much she followed her instincts and began to analyze what was used and how every procedure could have been done.

She started with the summoning circle which was still located in that open space in front of the room. It was still dark in that corner so she took the chandelier and moved towards the markings. She took note of the thickness and size of the circle as well as thought about the amount of whatever was used to draw this -red paint? Blood? If the later iih!- and how the runes and formulas could have been applied. Then her eyes feel upon something interesting.

"Is that old snake skin?" she wondered as she inspected the fossil in front of her. It looked like skin, smelled rotten and held a moderate amount of residue Prana which was probably the reason why it was barely recognizable. Each piece of the skin looked as it it was torn to shreds. Was it a magical reaction due to the summoning? If it was, then it probably meant that this was father's catalyst.

As far as Rin knew one could summon a specific Heroic Spirit if they had a fitting catalyst -Wait! Did that mean father summoned some kind of legendary snake creature?! Ueeh!- She silently prayed to whatever deity was listening that her father was not allowed to have summoned some snake monster.

Well fun aside she looked at all the things in the room noticing that aside from that cupboard there was not a single other article of furniture. It was empty and felt a little cold since she was on her own. Wondering a little what the Servant must have thought to be summoned to a place like this. If he was as stuck up and high and mighty as Father Kotomine said, she'd believe him to be either disappointed or very very annoyed or lonely…

 _Sakura_ she banished her thoughts immediately once that name slipped into her mind. Father gave her away for a reason. They had promised each other to show each other how great they have become as Magi. She would keep her promise. She would listen to father's words. And she would become a proud Magi like those before her.

Her sight became blurry. She blinked a few times, not noticing that tears started to fall from her eyes. She couldn't hide it. Not here where it was dark and cold and lonely. Her thoughts went back to _Sakura_ remembering how sad she looked. She held her tears in. Rin remember every word Sakura said, how she didn't want to leave her side, how she didn't care if she became a Magus or not, how lonely she would feel without mother and father.

She remembered every word but she didn't remember her own. She said something, a promise that wouldn't leave her heart, and some other things that escaped her thoughts. Were her last words kind? She didn't remember, the image of a crying Sakura with one of her ribbons in her short hair and the hurt she smiled away. As her older sister Rin knew when her sibling was sad but that face screamed heart broken and she regretted whatever words had left her mouth then.

Then she was gone. Her little sister was gone. Now they were strangers without any connection. Not even allowed to meet each other. Not allowed to talk, meet or play together like how they used to. Why was she thinking so much about Sakura anyway?

Maybe she felt cheated. Like how nobody told her anything about that and why she couldn't see her sister at all. She had though at first they were simply going to live apart. When she asked if she could go see her little sister, her mother told her with tears in her eyes that she wasn't allowed to, that the Matou wouldn't allow them to.

She never asked father.

Maybe this was called pride, this feeling that didn't allow her to go and ask father about it. If it was, then it was stupid but she also feared to hear more about why she couldn't see Sakura. Was her sister okay? She wasn't hurt was she? Were they nice to her? She swore if anything happened to her- then she couldn't do anything. She was powerless.

More tears fell as she couldn't understand the world around her at all.

She felt the cold creep up to her and the candles weren't going to last any longer either but as long as no one watched she would cry a little then go back and apologize to father for running after him and maybe get scolded. She would prefer getting educational challenges then these, these…these things called emotions.

The more she felt the more the Magi within her said that those belonged to a human. A Magus was on who walked with death. A human walked the path of life never changing never parting from the world. A Magus challenges the world and himself, free from all those burdens normal humans couldn't let go of. She could do it. She could become cold and calculated like father and his father and when she saw Sakura again, they would both be what they were: Magi.

But the child within her whispered something. Something so small and so weak that she barely heard nor felt it before. A single sentence as proof of her lingering humanity. Was it weakness? Was it strength. One last time she screamed from the top of her lungs -as long as nobody heard it, as long as this pain stayed in this empty place and fills it walls-

" **I don't wanna!"**

* * *

The snake skin dissipated turning to ash as the world around Rin was dyed in white light.

She didn't understand what was going on. One moment she let out her pent up frustration and in the next everything was white. Her eyes hurt from the brightness even with her eyes closed and with her arms over her head in an attempt to shield them from the light.

Rin had to blink a few dozen times to finally retain her sight. She was slightly disappointed when she saw that the room -from what little she could see since there was still that white patch right in the middle of her sight- was unchanged. At least she wasn't transported to an alternate reality like it happened in those kids shows she watched with Sakura back then.

Then she took a look again, wondering why the white in the middle of her eyes didn't go away…or why there was green hair attached to it. Jumping back as fast as she could Rin couldn't believe her eyes when they fell once again on a figure clad in a white cloak standing right…in…the middle of father's summon circle…

She felt fear running a few thousand miles per hour in her veins when she realized that she might have summoned a Servant per accident -was that even possible? Wait, didn't Kirei mention that Caster wasn't summoned yet? Oh no. Oh no. Oh no oh no oh no! She could have accidentally have summoned Caster did she?!-

She quickly checked her hands to see if she had Command Seals, those were proof that they were a Master after all and from what Father told her they always appeared if one was chosen by the Grail. But the only thing she saw was a white mark in the shape of a leaf instead of the three red markings her father once showed her…Wait what?! White mark!?

A tender hand touched the mark nearly resulting in Rin jumping backwards and looking at the newcomer for the first time for real. It was a beautiful person with long shining green hair that would make her mother jealous could she see it and a gentle and soft looking face. The Servant she assumed crouched to be eye level with her watching her face with stunning green eyes.

She felt a blush creep up her neck with how much attention she got from this gorgeous person but the newcomer only smiled.

"I see, so you were the one who called for me." the Servant spoke with a voice that made Rin wonder if the person was male or female "Please tell me, what made you feel so much pain?"

Obviously Rin didn't know how to answer that, unsure about what was going on even but at least the person in front of her was nice and apparently willing to listen to her.

"Who are you? Are you Caster? Why did you appear from father's summoning circle? Are you a boy or girl? How did you get your hair to be so long and beautiful?" she couldn't stop the flood of questions in time and felt her heart ready to burst -could you hold it to her? This was the first time she met a heroic spirit and she certainly wanted to every of her questions answered especially if she was going to report it to father!-

The summon patiently listened to all her question, still smiling and still holding her hand which Rin became more and more conscious of "Before I answer your questions" the Servant started getting up from his crouching position still holding Rin's hand "Could you please lead us outside? I feel a little cramped down here."

Not sure how to take that answer Rin nodded -she felt embarrassed that a beautiful person, who might be prettier that her mother, was holding her hand-. She lead the way towards the stairs noting that the candles were nearing the end of their lifespan, hurriedly leaving the dark confines as fast as her legs could go.

Upstairs she took note that her Servant was following so silently and held her hand so softly that she wondered if he wasn't some sort of imaginary friend whom only she could see. That thought went a little rampant when she didn't hear any footsteps behind her, so she glanced backwards every once in a while only for her eyes to greet the green haired beauty.

She opened the second door, stepping out of the dark as fast as she could and practically dragged the Servant behind her. The uncertainty whether the green haired one was male or female eating at her consciousness -really wouldn't you feel confused if a gorgeous person stood in front of you and you couldn't tell whether they were male or female?!- moving as fast as she could and actively missing the Servant's curious eyes fixated on everything within the church.

Once they reached the entrance, which now became an exit, she pushed the wooden door with one hand, barely opening it. Rin nearly fell on her face when the door was pushed open fiercely and she had to compose herself first before she could look at the Servant who used his free hand to assist her. She nodded towards him, though he looked slightly confused by her gesture.

Once outside their roles reversed. The green haired one walked directly over towards the grass, settling his feet into the soil and breathing deeply. It was then that Rin noticed that he was barefoot -maybe that's why she didn't hear anything earlier?- and that he began to glow once they were out into the air. Where it was getting dark. And she was alone. With a total stranger. A sudden impulse of fear stuck her back and her earlier dark thoughts began to multiply.

"So Master, to answer your question from earlier" the Servant began and she had to reprimand herself for forgetting what it was they had talked about, but since the green haired one held Rin's hand tenderly she couldn't really refuse and looked into green eyes with expectation "The Class I was assigned in is Lancer, Caster has been summoned not to long ago while you were down in that basement." he said which made her eyes go as wide as saucers.

A giggle escaped his lips "I have been brought forth by your plight and am here to assist your heart to no longer feel that pain."

What pain was he talking about? She didn't feel any pain, or was he talking about her crying earlier? But her tears were already dry and she felt that she didn't lose her focus and was prepared to walk the path father walked. She felt her sight blur again -huh? This was strange. Hadn't she already stopped crying already?–

Lancer just smiled and patted her head. Startled by this Rin jumped backwards. She didn't understand this stranger and she found even stranger that this Servant was supposed to be a different Servant than what father had expected. Maybe Lancer some of the Servants in other Classes weren't summoned like Caster and that's why she got this one instead of the other…Wait.

"Did you say Caster was already summoned?"

"Yes indeed, I could feel his presence from over there" the Servant said with a smile pointing towards the direction he apparently had sensed Caster from "I can feel everything that lives from here to there." he said before his eyes darkened a little, she didn't understand what he was saying but Rin understood that her Servant was amazing!

She felt her excitement double at knowing that Lancer could help father. That she could hep father! Alas Lancer just had to tap her forehead lightly before she could formulate how she was going to be more useful than Kirei.

"Master, how may I address you?"

She blinked, then blushed because she was embarrassed that she had forgotten one of the most basic etiquette which mother had taught her "I-I apologize. I was-, I mean, I am Rin Tohsaka." she stuttered out while the redness creeped up her neck and fully invaded her face.

"Rin, Rin it is then Master should we rest outside or do you have a place you prefer? It is getting late and I believe it would be wise for a child like you to rest, right?" Lancer said with the sweetest smile adoring his lips while a vein popped on her forehead.

"I am your Master right!?" she half screamed while pointing an accusing finger at Lancer's nose. Said Servant nodded with a raised eyebrow "Then don't tell me that I should go to sleep! It shouldn't even be seven o'clock right now! I mean when I went after father it was five o'clock and I couldn't have stayed down there that long, right? Right?! Mama said I shouldn't stay out longer than six and come back home for dinner and…and…"

The anger she felt for being addressed like a girl made way for fear. She didn't know what she was afraid of. Nor did she know why she was crying again. A magus, no matter how old they are have to be composed. The situation didn't matter. The only thing that matter was that her mind and spirit always had to have balance and control just like father and mother. Even if they were hurting, they surely had feelings somewhere, right? If that was the case then she made a mistake in the basement.

Rin opened a lid she shouldn't have opened. The lid to her emotions that she as a magus should have buried deep into her mind and only let small doses come out to at least pretend to be a normal human. It was a mistake to open her heart and let everything flood out of her. Rin knew better than to let her emotions come out, it was a flaw and father was going to lecture her again for feeling too much and letting others -especially a Servant- see her like this.

Sakura's face appeared in her mind again.

A soft hand wiped tears off her cheek. She looked up, watching with bewilderment how her Servant smiled while he wiped her tears away. He didn't say a word and didn't do anything else but look at her with sincere eyes. That smile was beautiful, like this person never had felt any form of grief ever but the way his eyes looked at her made her wonder why he too looked close to tears.

They stayed like that for a good minute, mainly because Rin felt unsure. The tears had stopped and Lancer only continued to look at her. She contemplated her options before taking his hand again and leading the way towards her home.

It was a silent walk, leading way from the church, the graveyard surrounding it and the hill the building stood on. They didn't exchange words, until Rin saw a familiar figure figure walking towards them.

"Rin-chan?" the esteemed, champion of giving her heart-attacks and the future reason why her life was going down the drain with the speed of a rocket, Risei Kotomine stood in front of her, mouth slightly agape "Is that a Servant?"

Her mouth opened and closed, not sure how she was going to explain what or where to start or what was going to happen and why did this have to happen to her now?! Sure she was going to face the esteemed father and father eventually but. Not. This. Soon!

"I-I can" she can explain. There was this blinding light and then this Servant appeared, then we talked, laughed, ate cookies together and run to the sunset with smiles on our faces.

"Good evening, I am Servant Lancer." Rin wanted to strangle someone.

Risei didn't say anything, he watched the green haired one, then looked down at her. Then he sighed, having probably seen the white mark on her right hand. He walked over to them "Come with me to the church." he said with a commanding tone and since Rin was a good child she would listen to the Father and everything will be alright.

"I don't want to."

It took full ten seconds for Rin to realize what her Servant just said. She shot a look at him but unsure if he had actually said it or if her ears were playing tricks.

Risei apparently did the same since he looked straight into the eyes of the Servant in front of him. "I am the Overseer of this Grail War. I have to make sure that you are indeed a Lancer and if Rin-chan is your Master." the Father said with a tone she had never heard before. She knew that the old man wasn't someone to trifle with but with the way he presented himself now, she could feel fear growing in her stomach. As if sensing that Lancer touched her shoulder softly.

"I am Lancer and Rin is my Master, but we will not come with you." Lancer said and she wanted to stuff a potato into his mouth.

"Uhm, Lancer" Rin finally relearned how to speak and her Servant was immediately right in front of her -his face of course-.

"Yes Master?"

The way he looked at her was the complete opposite to how he looked at Risei and the old Father wasn't letting up his stern expression. "Uhm , can't we go with Father Kotomine? It-It would be better to listen to what he says, he is the Overseer after all."

Lancer looked at her with a frown. It was obvious that he didn't like her suggestion "But I don't want to be crammed up in that old ruin." he said, indirectly insulting the church and the Father who id a double take at what Lancer just said.

"Can't we?" Rin asked again, using her best puppy dog eyes -if that doesn't get her anything she wanted from anyone then she was going to sue father for making her believe that!- making Lancer frown farther.

"We can, since you are my Master, but at least let us stay upstairs instead of that dusty basement, okay?" Lancer said regaining his smile while Rin returned it.

Father Risei however looked as if he didn't know what to feel at that display of human emotions.

* * *

Part one: Rin Tohsaka vs Loneliness

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Next part loading…

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A/N You have probably noticed it by now, but this story will not follow the usual tropes and actually forces me to dive into the mind of a child…which was easier then expected considering how most of the Children in Type-moon are somehow mature for their age…another thing I blame the adults for.

There you have the Rin Chapter, like last time I would love to hear opinions to where Rin and Lancer are going: A the Church B Lancer forces them to have a candle light dinner or C Gilgamesh becomes a yandere

Also I am thankful for the reviews and views I have received! It makes me happy that people are reading my story after all and I hope that you will continue to enjoy this tale of innocent vengeance!

I will be thankful for anybodywith more knowledge then me(which would be the entire Fate fandom) to provide me with extra help and information so that the enjoyment of the story doesn't vain.

Suggestions are still open to whether Ilya's journey takes her to Germany, Austria or any other country on the way to Japan.

Please vote, read and review, for these are the things that make my writers heart tick XD

See you next time

Yours dear,

Sha Yurigami


	3. Encounters with the otherworldly

She sat in the study of her father while her butler and private tutor recited every piece of information about her family and tried to shove it into her head.

"And that is how the Tohsaka have betrayed our family during the Third Grail War. Even to this day it isn't known what happened to her twin and we suspect that the vile Tohsaka have captured and made her part of their family." the old man recited not stopping over-exaggerating his hatred towards their cousins in Japan.

The Tohsaka were kin to them yet because of many misunderstandings in the past their current relationship could only be described as _strained_ but that was mostly because those old fools were too obsessed with their grudges. Its like the adults lived for them.

You dishonored my family. Grudge. You took my favorite pen. Grudge. You didn't say hello to me. Grudge.

Sometimes she wondered why they were so focused on their hatred and she was sure once she reached a certain age she would understand but now. Now Luvia would do anything other then study her families history for the xth time.

Ignoring her tutor and butler she got up from her chair and shoved the table in front of her to the side. She wanted nothing more than get out of this cramped and unclean place and maybe go to the gardens to enjoy the sweet smell of autumn.

As she walked through the mansion her mind wandered over every little detail of her family. Sadly only remembering the lessons about Magecraft and the ever present hate for the Tohsaka's. Heck if she didn't know better than she would have said that her family was secretly harboring a crush on their beloved enemy since she even saw a large picture of a Tohsaka in her grandfather's quarters always muttering how he wanted to defeat his nemesis…though going as far as to pin a large picture of him on the wall while a smaller one laid on a specially placed pillow next to his…

Really maybe the Tohsaka aren't as bad as everyone wanted her to believe. After all they couldn't decided what she would believe in since that would make her nothing more than an extension of her families arm instead of her own petite but beautiful one.

She wandered through the halls of the mansion, walking into the kitchen to grab a piece of bread before walking outside through the backdoor. She was a lady, but she was also a child so at least in these small things she could find solace, right?

The bread was taste as she bit piece after piece and sat on the soft ground, careful not to dirty her blue dress too much. Her eyes drew to the clouds in the sky. Her butler surely must have noticed by now that she was missing, which meant he would look for her like a mother bird.

Speaking of mothers. She still couldn't remember her mother's face. She was still young when she had died so remembering that woman's face was getting harder and harder over the years. Then again she was only what six? You wouldn't expect a child like her to remember every detail of everything she saw and heard right?

Adults are strange like that, she tough laying flat on her back looking up at the ever blue sky. A smile formed on her lips imagining a plane just flying over her head but for whatever reason she had never seen one here before. A little sad if you asked her and her smile faded as she reached upwards.

At the moment life was dull uneventful and _boring_ she didn't understand the adults with their thirst for knowledge that was far outside their reach and that addiction for the past. Once lost glory will never be found again, why didn't they understand that?

Her mother certainly did. Luvia wondered sometimes what her mother did up in heaven. Father told her mother was dead and returned everything to the root. What that meant she didn't know yet but surely it was something stupid, hence making her father stupid since he said something stupid. Mother surely went to heaven and became an angel. After all her beauty was extraordinary and her heart as welcoming and warm as the embrace she always gave her.

Why did father let her die, she wondered but ignored it since it was probably a stupid reason and she didn't want to bother him in his study. Instead she could poke fun at all the servants in the house and maybe find that legendary hidden snack stash mother hid.

Getting up from the wet grass she dusted her long dress -a lady has always to appear prim and proper- and walked towards the kitchen ward again, she was craving something sweet but sour with a touch of Vanilla and was certain that her chefs would deliver it within seconds after her request.

Then she felt a faint gust.

Soft and nearly impossible to feel. Truly magical in essence. Which was exactly the thing she looked for in this tryst and terribly ordinary life. She took the edges of her dress in both hands and run after the faintest smell of that wonderful wind. Listening to its howls, Luvia hurried after it running with swiftness -yet remaining proper as expected of a fine lady- up the stairs to that old evil looking tower where apparently large amounts of worthless gems were thrown into.

Really to think that such pebble was allowed to into their home -Surely father would be proud of her nonchalant dismissal of normally valuable jewelry which the common folk beneath them couldn't even dream of seeing.

Sometimes she imagined that her families Magical Catalysts were treasures people from way back in time looked for. Dreams of adventure. Hope of romance and the vows of unbreakable friendships.

Maybe she shared a few things with those heroes from her bedtime stories.

At the top of the tower, a place father would have never allowed to venture to had she been nothing less than his heir, a strange familiar feeling welled inside of her tummy. She relaxed her posture, sure that nobody would bother her at this place and rubbed her belly.

She wasn't hungry and surely she wouldn't get sick that easily from such light exercise. A faint glowing light on her hand however was what truly picked her interest. Where had she seen this symbol before. A Rosemary with three Roses appeared beneath her skin.

Luvia contemplated whether to accept this strange happenstance or report it immediately to her father. Then noticed the sight in front of her.

Three large windows covered in woven trees and stone with specks of light shining through. Large round carpets covering the ground with candle stands and chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. The specks began to wove themselves through the room, drawing with light an invisible circle which lit up the entire tower.

She didn't bother covering her face, knowing that the brightness would blind her for a few moments to begin with, so she simply closed her eyes and waited for it to subdue.

To her surprise the first thing she heard was a soft voice.

"Art thou my Master?" the voice asked clearly male in origin but she couldn't care and opened her eyes wide to look at the newcomer. At first her eyes looked up and down, tilting her head slightly out of confusion. The Magus within her said that this wasn't natural and that she should immediately call her father or anyone. The child within her however saw something it never imagined seeing.

The person before her was a red haired man in silver armor, a blue cloak with white fur at the trims was strapped around his shoulders, appeared within the room. The circle she swore was right in the middle was not seen again. The _knight's_ face was sharp with soft curves at the jawline and despite how beautiful he looked his eyes appeared to be half closed and sad.

She didn't like him.

"And you are?" the child asked while the knight remained unmoved in front of her.

"I was summoned within the Archer Class. Greetings Milady." the knight whispered but she wouldn't have that. She kind of understood what he was talking about but she didn't want to hear anything other than what she wanted to hear.

"I don't want to know which Class you are but who you are." the child said with a scowl on her face. The knight appeared distressed for a second but remained stoic.

"My name is Tristan-"

"No you're not!" the child screamed, probably so loud that the peasants in Europe heard the echo.

"But-" the knight started, visible confused by the outburst before cringing away from the hard look Luvia gave him.

"No, buts!" she said wiping away a single fictional tear from her eyes "Tristan is a brave and noble knight with a sense of humor who married Isolde ad went on a magical adventure with his pet familiar!"

The knight looked at her with a look of pure horror.

"Wha-What kind of legend have you read about m-"

"NOT!" the child interrupted him once more, making him take a careful step back, she pointed an accusing finger at his face while a proud smile formed on her lips _This is so much fun_ she thought while taking in his utterly shocked face "I have seen the movie!" she screamed while his eyes turned in his head.

Nearly falling over Tristan managed to catch himself "So, so you try to tell me Master, that I -that a counterpart of mine was reunited with Isolde?!" posing with his hips pointing outwards and his hands grabbing his head in a dramatic fashion.

 _That_ actually surprised her. She hadn't expected her Servant to start his theatrics right in the middle of the room. His wallowing was so overbearing that she could swear that she heard her servants down on the ground rushing up.

And it made him look more miserable.

Now she actually felt bad about playing around with his feelings.

"If- If you want to, we can watch it together?" Luvia asked while he wallowed for a few more seconds before her words registered in his mind.

"Of Course" he said with his usual stoic self, seemingly returning to his original persona.

THAT pissed her off.

"Sit." she commanded.

"Huh?"

"If you are my Servant I command you to sit like a dog." she said with a hard look in her eyes. Light flared on her hand where the sign appeared, a single rose lost its petals, while Tristan visibly struggled and fell onto his knees and hands.

The knight confused by the sudden shift of gravity huffed immediately after he felt an additional weight on his back.

"Now my noble stead, carry me downstairs and no complaining." Luvia laughed out, her haughty amplifying the cruelty of her actions as Tristan lamented by whimpering like a kicked puppy. "Oh hush you, I won't allow you to howl like a dog," she said with a laugh kicking his side to signal him.

Reluctantly he started to move but Luvia's words filled made him stop.

"Smile. I despise people who act but I absolutely can't stand people who pity themselves like you."

Whether he could answer or not, the words were made clear with his continued stride forward. The sounds of the staff echoing from below reached her ears and she smiled.

She was going to love their reactions.

… … …

 _A/N: I apologize for the short chapter but I never know how long a chapter gets after I start it. Heck this one was actually hard to write but I'm happy that I got it to be where I wanted to. I enjoy writing this story and will update much faster. Please do me a favor and tell me what you liked and what you didn't._

 _Yours dear,_

 _Sha Yurigami_

 _p.s. Does anybody remember that godawful CG Movie Tristan and Isolde? I do, hence why I referenced it here XD_

 _Next Chapter:_

 _ **Pain Pain fly away**_


	4. Pain Pain Fly Away

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It was cold. The floor was uncomfortable and the room was far too dark for her liking. She could feel the gross slime on the ground slowly covering her body and pain ran through her body every time _they_ moved.

It was disgusting.

And it hurt.

It hurt so much.

She couldn't voice her thoughts though. Grandpa made it clear every time she screamed _they_ would hurt her more badly and make her feel more unwelcome, so she learned to keep her mouth shut. No, not really. She just felt that it made no sense to resist after being thrown here every night for the past year.

She could still remember the day.

The last day she was allowed to be at home.

Not here. This place wasn't home and she will never see it as such.

But the home she missed more dearly than anything else, it will never be her home again.

On that day, Mother and her baked a few cookies together, her sister -Ah, she meant Rin- was in the living room reading one of Father's books while Father himself was talking to _them_ in his study. She could still remember the taste of each cookie, each chocolate chip and every laugh she shared with Mother that day.

She had accidentally dropped the flour on the counter, she remembered, covering her and mother in soft whiteness. In fear she had covered her mouth, knowing that her mother was going to scold her, but she only knelt down and lightly touched her nose.

" _Guess we need more salt"_ Mother said with a smile, making her laugh. She loved Mother's laughing. It was graceful and beautiful and made her feel silly.

She still remembered, how Mother's laughing wasn't as happy, and know that she thought about it, her smile wasn't either. Despite that they continued to clean the kitchen, after putting the cookies into the oven, and waited with bright smiles how their delicious treat was baking slowly.

Rin was still reading but would laugh from time to time too when she heard Sakura and their mother talk. She talked about many things, many about their uncle and his family. She liked her uncle and she knew that he and Mother were childhood friends. Stories of past adventures and wonders Mother an Uncle were up to brightened the prospect of Sakura leaving soon.

It was an unspoken thing. Only mentioned in passing by Father who came to her room in the night. She found it strange for him to enter her room during bed time and not Mother. Wondering if he wanted to read her a bedtime story she sat up and greeted him with a smile.

He didn't smile back.

Instead he told her about the Matou and that Sakura was to help them -as Magi- to become great again. She didn't understand his words then and he never mentioned it again. She mostly forgot about it since he picked up "The Red and the Blue Oni" as her bedtime story.

She kind of understood why the Blue Oni left.

It made her sad.

When the treat was done, her and Mother decorated them with with icing and chocolate chips before placing each carefully on a tray. She helped Mother carry it into the living room where Father sat himself next to Rin and greeted them with a large smile.

She smiled back. Not understanding why Rin and Mother looked sad then.

They ate together, smiled and Father told her of the importance of becoming part of the Matou family. A family who was slowly losing its potential and would soon die out. She felt sorry for them then, not understanding why they had it so hard. Father was very careful in his wording, trying to make her and Rin understand that they wouldn't be allowed to see each other as sisters ever again.

Tears fell from her eyes then, the chocolate chip cookie in her hand dropping onto the floor. From then on nothing stood in her mind. Everything became blank as she felt her hand taken by a stranger with wavy hair who looked rather unkempt and tired. Sakura didn't understand anything then.

Many times she tried to recount why her memories stopped. The pain was still there. The feeling of a ribbon in her hair was still there.

Anything.

The kind words Uncle Kariya left her, taking her nightly sessions in her stead. And despite the hurt, he still managed to smile at her, hug her and tell her that one day she would be free from this and that both of them could return to where they truly belonged. It tugged at her heart but the tears wouldn't appear in her eyes. She had to distract herself, ignore the pain. Ignore those feelings because every time she felt, _they_ moved and hurt her.

She was thinking of anything that could make this stop.

Make the pain disappear.

So she prayed.

She prayed while _those_ things crawled around her, hurt her and made her disgusted with herself.

She Prayed.

For the one person that might save her. The one that always held her, watched her and cherished her. The person who, even though she had agreed with Father, still looked devastated when she had to let go of her daughter's hand.

She cried out to her mother, feeling a blinding white light shining from her right hand.

And a mother did answer.

Admits the worms an vortex of light and flames erupted, burned the worms waiting to harvest the innocent in the closest proximity. And while Sakura and Grandpa Zouken watched the spectacle, two strong hands embraced her.

Sakura couldn't see nor understand what was happening, but she was relieved deep inside and returned the affection. She smelled the scent unique to mothers.

Of home, love and forgiveness.

"What did you do to her?" a voice both warm and menacing spoke up accompanied by an aura of pain and anger that even made the old Matou patriarch reconcile...for a second. Then the old wicked grandpa sneered wondering aloud how such a thing could have happened this soon.

"It appears that you had more talent and luck than I expected." he said, making Sakura sick in her stomach. She turned her attention to the one who held her.

Dark angry eyes glared at Zouken, long red hair framed her head, with a golden tiara, while a leather dress wrapped around her torso and waist, and a white dress completed the attire. Then she noticed a sword in the woman's hand, bright like the sun shining menacingly at the old man slowly crawling to them.

Each step her took made the worms in the pit agitated. She felt the pain in her chest grow with each chuckle he did, yet the strong arm around her made her want to stay strong as well.

"Who might you be I wonder?" the old man sneered before his black eyes flew wide open.

"Berserker" the woman said in a low voice bringing down her sword with a blood curling scream.

The light was blinding. Yet it didn't hurt her eyes. It was comforting and gentle but she knew from the way the shadows disappeared that it hurts those who were evil. She watched in morbid fascination how the form of the old demon screamed at her while its body slowly dissolved.

When the whiteness cleared she could see the stars.

Strange she thought, until her eyes looked closer and saw the ceiling and house which were ripped to shreds. It was still dark but the light from the stars and moon shone bright enough for her to see the house she spent the last year in turn to ruins within the blink of an eye. Curiously she turned to look at the woman who held her close to her chest.

A familiar warmth spread through her body. It was something she wasn't aware she still had. How strange she thought feeling the tears fall from her eyes and the pain in her chest growing stronger.

"Shh~" the woman spoke resting her blade stuck in the ground before wrapping her arms around Sakura. A warm and gentle embrace, so so familiar. It was a wonderful feeling.

Everything went by in a haze. The woman who saved her acquired a set of clothes for her to wear -they were warm and didn't feel greasy like her old dresses- a pair of undies, two shoes and a jacket that looked older than Sakura felt at the moment. She didn't know how long the woman was musing over her clothing before her eyes finally locked with hers.

They were a vibrant (green) and a few freckles could be seen marring her face, looking into her eyes with warmth "Are you cold?" she asked. Sakura shook her head, no she wasn't cold only very confused. "Do you remember where we are?" the woman asked, brows slightly furrowed, but Sakura shook her head again.

Everything was strange and felt like a dream, even when the lady whisked her off the ground again and carried her in one arm. "Don't worry" she said carrying her through something she might have recognized as the front door.

"Who are you?" she asked once they reached the threshold making the woman stop and ponder. Then a very warm and gentle look appeared on her face making Sakura blush slightly.

"Boudicca. That's the name I was referred to where I lived and I allow you to refer to me as such as well." she nodded in agreement hugging the woman's neck to the best of her ability, only then noticing the white markings of a chariot with two wheels on her hand.

The woman didn't say anything to that sudden display of affection only nuzzling into Sakura's hair with a gentle smile.

"Sakura." she whispered while Boudicca hummed.

She closed her eyes, letting herself dream while red tresses tickled her face. She saw a wide field of grass and trees and countless people uniting under a strong and beautiful woman screaming, laughing and understanding one another without distrust or fear. A feeling of completing spread through her chest watching each of them sing their songs and preparing to move against the evil that had befallen them.

Not once had she looked back at the ruins of her nightmare. Boudicca carried her into the night while dawn slowly crawled through the tree lines and brightened her mood. Slowly but sure her eyes started to fall shut, feeling the creatures underneath her skin stop moving, allowing her to finally sleep.

…––––––––––…

The red head marched with resolution while carrying her charge with an arm. Slowly turning her friendly grimace into a frown which then turned into a nasty glare directed at the city in front of them as well as the presences she felt within the city. One of her own was close, heading towards a church at the far side of the city. A quick look at Sakura followed before the warrior took off into the distance.

Her eyes searched for any hint of the vermin who dared and injure her Master, knowing full well that the demon was laughing in the shadows waiting for a chance to rip them apart…or worse. She couldn't take that risk therefor she took a leap of faith towards their destination.

She knew that the nearby presence was one of her own. One who heard the call for help and answered with a smile. The only thing she remembered before summoning was a gentle voice telling her to protect these children from _him_ whoever that was supposed to mean, and since she was mother herself it suited just fine to take care of a child. It reminded her of her own daughters.

A faint scent of home invaded her nose. Feeling the force in the air. Her eyes looked for the sensation, internally knowing that one of her greatest desires might come to fruition after all.

…––––––––––…

 _ **A/N: Here is the newest chapter, as promised. I had a lot of emotions going on lately and this chapter was a way for me to cop with them. I enjoyed writing this chapter and I wanted this to happen so badly! But at the same time I knew that this chapter would be hard to write within going into full detail what exactly happened to Sakura, I hope that everyone of you already knows what needs to be known about her situation since it became quiet popular lately.**_

 _ **Further ado: The Next Chapter preview:**_

…––––––––––…

"Say," Zelrecht started look into his drawer while scratching his chin. His assistant was occupied to make sense of the chaos that was his handwriting, therefore only briefly acknowledging his words "Do you know who replaced my sweets with charcoal?"

The assistant looked up from their work and stared at the old vampire in confusion.

A faint sound echoed from the drawer though, one that had Zelrecht shiver uncontrollably and stutter uncontrollably "No…it can't be…I made sure of it…no…nonono-…NOOOOOOOOO - … "

From the drawer laughter could be heard,so loud and gentle and very very familiar that the assistant ponder where they had heard it before,

…––––––––––…

Next chapter:

 **Hohoho!**

…––––––––––…

 **tbc**

…––––––––––…

 **P.s. Okay, now that I made sure that I got your attention, I would like to apologize for not including Shirou in any form into this story. Don't worry, he will appear, just not as one of the kids whom I've chosen as the main characters.**

 **And here is why I would like to apologize since I will not mention where Shirou came from within the context of this tale.**

Shirou in my head-canon is a manifestation of Angra Manyu that had been corrupted by the saint like personality of Shirou Amakusa who was chosen as the Ruler for the Third Grail War. Shirou A. after the war entered the Grail for his own purpose but got absorbed by Angra Manju, and with the evil mutt everything is possible, so Shirou A. was transformed - slash fused with the human manifestation of Angra - within Angra's evil and waited for a chance to be released at the same time as _All the worlds evil_ -incidentally the very thing Kiritsugu triggered in the original Fate/Zero event (funny, right?) - and then got spit out. Since Shirou A. was to contaminated his memories were erased and got transformed into little Shirou E. found some clothes then lost his purpose during his walk through the madness known as the Fuyuki Fire.

 **I have no evidence for this claim but please understand that this is the canon for** ** _this_** **story going forward and the true reason why I refuse to write about Shirou in this story.**

 **For Shirou fans I apologize but he will not be a Master in any sort or way in this story.**


	5. Ho ho ho

She doesn't know how long she has been crying or how long she has been sitting on her bed like this. She didn't feel anything, no emotion, no pain, only emptiness. It felt kind of liberating being apathetic towards the outside world instead of the constant guilt she felt when she found out about her sisters situation.

How could she play at being happy when Kohaku was hurt like that? It wasn't fair. It was so so cruel and hurt. All this time when her sister smiled and she didn't know why it didn't reach her eyes. She felt like she stole Kohaku's happiness.

Rather, had felt.

Because her tear dried up and she couldn't feel her heart beating at all. Even now she could hear the screams her sister hid, but everything felt dull and lifeless.

She still remembered walking into that scene, watching Master Makihisa hurting Kohaku like that…it was a normal day.

A wonderful day even.

When Master Shiki was still at the home and they were allowed to play together. It was the last day of him staying with the Tohno's and her last time talking with him. They laughed and promised to play with each other again. But after their goodbye, when she got home, she walked into the scene of Kohaku being hurt by Master Makihisa . The moment she walked in the Master let go of her sister and left.

When she talked to her all Kohaku said was that she didn't want her to cry, that she should laugh and be happy.

She didn't want that.

She didn't want to have happiness when her own twin was going through hell. How could she? How could she laugh like that with Master Shiki if Kohaku was forced to be unhappy!

That's why she left.

Ran.

Didn't look back and locked herself into the closet.

Kohaku was very sweet when she talked to her through the door. Like Mama had been before everything went wrong. She told her that it was okay, that she would endure and show the old bat that she wasn't going to lose to him. Her voice was sad and she felt what her sister felt; Hurt.

The closet was hidden in the dark corner of their room. It filled the majority of it and was used mainly by Kohaku to hide her secret inventions. A very brief smile formed on her lips when she saw the little Santa toy her twin made for Christmas, then it disappeared.

She could never allow herself to be happy again. Not with her twin…not with Kohaku.

Tears formed around her eyes as she slowly picked up the toy from the ground and hugged it tightly. Her heart felt empty but the object of affection sparked a small emotion to form in her heart.

And emotion she could only let out through tears.

Two tears fell from her already red eyes, blurring her vision. She allowed them to fall, knowing that those would be the last of them.

The toy reminded her of the times she thought her twin felt happy, the times she looked sad and the times the huddled together under bedsheets to watch the falling snow in winter. Puffy and white, pure and cold at the same time but she liked to get comfortable with her sister. She liked to talk, to laugh and to experience new things together…They would stay up together until late in the night to catch _him_ whenever _he_ decided to slid down the chimney, although they never caught him.

She had so much fun and Kohaku would always make something in her room or the backyard. A toy or some kind of invention which was supposed to make their lives easier…she remember Kohaku's dream…before they would blow up or stop functioning.

It wasn't easy. Especially with the harsh times the clan was going through and they made the most they could without bothering anyone…then they were given away.

Mama didn't tell them why, but they had to stay with the Tohno's for some time. Until the clan finally settled down and stopped fighting. They worked in the household, cleaned and made food at some times, even played with the young lady when she got bored. Ironically it was Master Makihisa who told them they she and Kohaku were the last ones in their clan.

They cried together that night, despite it having been a joyful day the tears and hurt still prevailed.

Back then she couldn't understand why everything happened the way it did. Now she knew that nothing was fair. Even she herself was unfair towards her sister, always laughing and having fun despite Kohaku going through such a harsh experience.

It wasn't fair.

It wasn't- the toy fell from her hands to the ground with loud clacking, stopping her train of thought briefly before her eyes looked at the jolly look of Santa.

Christmas.

Would they have to stay in this horrible house the entire time? Would they have to endure all the pain until either of them died…would the Master hurt her just like he hurt Kohaku? So many questioned burned in her throat but her eyes could only focus on the Santa toy.

" _is the patron saint of children!"_ Kohaku once said, bragging with her knowledge about everything and everyone.

" _Who is ?"_ she had asked but Kohaku only laughed at her in that unmistakable way.

" _That's what Santa is called in Europe. Dunno why though, why couldn't they just call him Santa and not something that's so hard to pronounce in Japanese?"_ her twin loved ranting. Loved the frosty season. Loved the cuddling.

Nowadays she wouldn't come closer than a few steps to her.

 _If Santa protects children, why is that happening to Kohaku?!_ She screamed in her mind wishing for answers she knew she would never receive "Why can't Santa safe us? Is it wrong? Did we do something wrong?" renewed tears fell from her eyelids, the pain of rejection harsher than anything she felt before.

Of course Santa wouldn't safe them. Safe her. She let her twin down. She let Kohaku be hurt over and over by the Master and didn't even know about that!

"I don't deserve to life…" she whispered, fueling the flames of self-hatred.

Alas…

" **And who said that?"**

The voice was old, very old and very wise. She was confused. Where had that voice come from? Was she beginning to hear things?

" **Little Miss, who said you don't deserve to life?"**

There it was again. Louder and clearer as she let go of the toy and looked around. It was scary, but her heart felt warm, as if the voice was directly talking into her soul.

"I did" she whispered, not knowing why she answered, nor why she felt relief touch her hand. Her eyes looked down, coming face to face with the Santa toy…which had started to look into her eyes.

" **That isn't good, if you continue to think like that I can't come and bring you presents."**

 _The toy. Is. Talking._ She immediately let the toy fall to the ground, pushing herself as far away from it as possible. Frightened she looked forward, not believing her ears nor her eyes as the toy laid on its back. When it remained still she released a soft gasp before breathing normally again "Of course, there is no way a toy can talk…"

" **Indeed my child, toys do not talk unless you breath Magic into them."**

She held a shriek inside her throat when the toy rolled over onto its belly and stood up as if it was made of flesh and blood. Her eyes went wide as saucers at the display, nearly buckling back and hurling out of the closet and sealing it with as many chairs as she could find inside the house. Heck she would have-

" **Do not be afraid"** the toy Santa spoke, slowly walking up to her feet, its eyes never leaving her face, warmth and comfort spread in her heart, nearly warming her up enough to have emotions but she couldn't will herself past the pain those feelings brought forth.

" **Do not hold it in. The pain will grow bigger and bigger and whatever burdens you will become unbearable."** how could a toy sound so wise, Hisui wondered baffled by the warmth she received from those words **"No pain in the world is worth holding onto for the rest of ones life."**

Anger filled her heart at those words. How dare it just talk and speak all wise without knowing her twin's pain! How dare it just start moving! It was probably just another illusion, a false hope, nothing more than a shadow brought forth from the last remaining sparks of her heart.

" **Ho ho ho, now that is quiet funny my dear, a human heart is not fickle enough to ignore its needs and wants. So speak, tell me; where does your pain lay?"** The toy Santa moved from her front to her side, leaving the door to her right free off his presence -her earlier thoughts returned and she contemplated them for a second- until she felt a strong presence grasping her hand.

Warmth spread throughout her body.

Warmth she hadn't felt in a very very long time.

Warmth that made her talk about the horrible things Master had done to her twin while the worthless her was oblivious and acted all happy. How she couldn't understand why her sister endured all that pain and all that hurt without stopping to smile -even if it was fake- when she talked to her. The toy listened patiently, stroking her much bigger hand with his tiny ones in a comforting manner.

" **Your sister wants to protect you. She loves you and wants you to smile because your smile is her happiness. Look at this toy she made, so full of love that it allowed me to appear before you. Do not deny her this wish. Wishes are the source of our greatest power after all."** the Santa spoke with wisdom and she felt the tears falling from her eyes. She, deep down, she understood and that frightened her more than anything else…"To be happy for two people…is that possible?" she asked the toy as its warm smile faded.

" **Such is a very hard burden. A burden a child like you should never be forced to carry to begin with."** The Santa's smile disappeared, replaced by a harsh expression of grief and guilt **"And you aren't the only one."**

Her eyes widened as tears leaked out of the toys eyes, falling unabashedly onto the ground beneath its feet.

From the tears white light spread forth, shining so brightly inside the closet as it bathed her entire world in brilliant white with the Santa toy standing within it.

" **Zelrecht, I allowed you so many things, yet you failed to do right where you went wrong, I had left this world to you and yet the sadness has only spread. Why are these children suffering?**

 **I shall no longer stand by and watch."** Santa's voice boomed through the closet, loud and clear and filled with repressed anger build up over ages. Yet she found herself fascinated by the change of the toys shadow, slowly expanding into a widely larger form before the light blinded her sight even more.

A single oat breaking a long forgotten stalemate.

… – – – – – …

 **For light has brought forth the brightest night**

 **Their smiles the greatest hope**

 **and wishes our greatest strength**

 **Children of now bring them forth**

 **To the now**

 **To the present**

 **Those who were ripped off their Happy End**

 **Punished for their righteous hearts**

 **Grant them their choice for the forth to come**

 **No evil shall escape my sight**

 **for once more I return to hear the children plight**

 **Let them beware of my might**

 **By the holy night**

 **We shall return**

… – – – – – …

When the light stopped the toy, she blinked a few times still blinded from the bright light that had illuminated everything around her. Strangely enough her heart felt light as if the hurt she felt before had disappeared together with the darkness.

Her sight returned after a while, watching how a long bearded man in a large red coat cradled her Santa toy in his palm -a palm she noted was bigger then her head – what drew her attention was the smiled shining through the thick white hair of his beard. It was kind and full of wonder, just like those big eyes.

"Hisui," his large hand reached towards her stopping just short from touching hers. Gently he urged her to take it, to feel it and accept whatever laid beneath its core. Its center. When her finger raised and met the toy Santa's surface, a very pleasant tingle went from the tips up her arm over her shoulder onto her cheeks before slowly moving down to her heart where it remained and spread like a wild fire.

"Can you feel them?" he asked meeting her eyes as her face lit up and she nodded "These feelings will forever remain with you. Such is the power of gifts, especially those crafted with your own hands." he said raising her chin when it started to drop "Kohaku has a very unique gift, a talent that resides within her heart. It would be a shame to see one who could bring wonders into this bleak world being lost in some old run down house like this, right?"

Eagerly she nodded, smiling after what felt like ages at the prospect of saving her sister. Then the memories tried to return but the bearded man placed a single finger on her forehead whispering "Begone with bad dreams, they have no place within your heart as of this very moment. And if they do com back" his finger dropped tipping the toy she grasped so very tightly "remember kindness and love. Those are the truest gifts one can ever receive."

"Are you Santa?" she asked, still slightly, unsure whether this was a cruel dream or the truest form of hope.

"Why, yes of course! Who else could I be, Father Frost?" he laughed heartily picking her up by the shirt to rest on one of his brought shoulders. He held his hand behind her back before standing up, of course he hit his head on the ceiling of this confinement, giggling though which made her join in, before ducking and carefully sliding through the door.

The room was dark with barely any light shining through the windows. Kohaku wasn't inside so that meant that the Master must have taken her with him -just as she feared.

"It's okay, they haven't been gone for long and I might have made too much of a ruckus." Santa said with a soft voice, soothing her anxious heart.

Leaving the room felt like leaving the world behind, being carried by a man whose the literal manifestation of everything good left in this world while nearly hitting the ceiling every time he moved might have helped with that assumption.

Then her eyes just had to fall on Kohaku being hold by the arm roughly. Her eyes went wide for a moment, tears silently falling when she saw her sister's tearful look. The one holding her of course being none other than Master Makihisa.

"And what do you think you are doing with my propert-" the Master asked before he started to cough uncontrollably. The coughing was so violent that he had to let go of her twin -who quickly rushed behind Santa, a white mark shining on her right hand- and had to grab his own throat.

Out of his mouth came a piece of coal.

"What the-" The Master squeaked watching them with spiteful eyes before something made him hang his mouth. When she looked to her right she only saw Santa's calm and relaxed face but when she looked at the Master his face looked like he was looking at something terrifying.

Maybe the Master was secretly a demon and Santa, being a Saint, made hit do his pants. A thought she never imagined forming in her mind that was both funny and biblical.

"Makihisa Tohno." Santa started, touching Kohaku's head gently before lifting her just like Hisui and placed her on his other shoulder "You have been a naughty boy. Thankfully Krampus decided to take care of you, being the honest soul that he is." just as Santa said those words a large sack appeared, pitch black, engulfing the Master completely before deflating to look like a bag of rice.

"Always so clean and quick." Santa whispered making the twins look at him with bewilderment "Ah, don't worry good ol' Krampus only comes for the naughty kids" he answered the unanswered question before his kind smile turned to her and then Kohaku.

"Since we are done here," Santa whispered mysteriously "How about a quick two second trip to England before we remodel this old moody house together with Miss Akiha, I still need to meet an old idiot I know."

Big bearded and very gentle, maybe life wasn't as bleak as Hisui first thought.

… – – – – – …

 _A/N: So, yeah, Santa basically just entered the Nasu-verse after being absent for a few centuries -of course that's Zelrecht's fault- and basically triggered the Apocryphia..._

 _Any further explanations will appear within the story itself, please Read and Review or Pm me, heck write me a message on tumblr or twitter (links on my profile), in case you are interested in knowing more about me, the story or why the heck this story exists at all._

 _Do me the favor and look at my tumblr, twitter or pixiv when you are interested in my Art and leave me a request for a prompt since promptcember is still continuing on my tumblr (Rules and guidelines are listed somewhere XD)_

 _Have fun and enjoy yourself with this story and my other works._

 _Yours dear,_

 _Sha Yurigami_

… – – – – – …

 _P.s. Today is still St. Nickolas day in Europe, so its actually fitting to post a chapter about Santa on his very own holiday, right?_


	6. Water molecules always stick together

If there was one thing going through her mind at the moment, then only one: Bo~ring!

She knew that she had to attend the sermon, pray with the priests and Executors-in-training and listen to every word the lord almighty up above the heaven told his lost sheep. Of course those sheep were occupied around the globe with the mission to annihilate anything that had to do with otherworldly occurrences which could have been perceived as miracles by those with limited braincells.

Surely there was a better way for her to spend the mornings, afternoons and evenings then sit around in a stuffed church with grown adults, priests and nuns, right? At least it wasn't as tedious as Father Cornelius tried to make it sound when he complained to her about his back and how he wished someone younger then him could take care of the trainees.

She wasn't angry or anything, just utterly bored, and she really wasn't interested in reading the same old texts -which she memorized entirely after reading them once- over and over with a loud and clear voice. Then there was the reciting training and the combat classes and breakfast, lunch and dinner which always tasted the same, and several ours of singing practice -she was in the choir after all. At least she didn't hunger, unlike some other children in the rest of the world.

Caren still remembered the day father gave her to Father Cornelius. She couldn't quiet make out what kind of face he made since she was even younger then but what she knew was that she cried after him, as if hoping for him to turn around and taking her with him. She didn't hate her father. Far from it. She kind of understood, and Father Cornelius always told her that her father would surely miss her.

At least grandfather send her a letter every once in a while, telling her of their progress and that her father supposedly missed her.

Ah, not good, she missed a few of the lines Father Cornelius repeated. Instead of focusing on the past she tried her best to stay awake and listen to the words of the lord. Her believe wouldn't leave her anyway so she could devote herself to it without worry.

It was Father Cornelius who told her stories about Christ and his sacrifice for the world. Some of the stories he read her before going to bed were sweet and filled with the wonders of god, but she knew that the Catholic Church had a rather -stiff- view of the holy writings. Some of the bible classes she attended talked about old rites performed by especially hard believers and the sacrifices they brought for the lord.

Futile, she thought after a while but didn't voice her misgivings since most of the priests listened intently and even took notes.

The sermon was about to end, which meant that she and the rest of the holy men and women would go to the great halls for a shared breakfast. While she didn't look forward to the food, at least there she didn't need to bother listening to anything the adults talked behind closed doors. Caren wasn't stupid and Father Cornelius always had to reprimand her not to let her mouth move before her head. He said it was a very good attribute to be honest but she should at least try not to hurt anybody with her words. Something she didn't want to understand.

It was nice to talk with people who didn't try to be more intelligent than the average Joe but most adults who lived in the Vatican were more concerned with their standing, the religious teachings or the next meal. The day of a clergy was a hard one. Theological studies were also very important and she never looked forward to them after their meal.

Father Cornelius recited the last paragraph of their prayer and wished all of them blessings and goodwill, officially ending the sermon and finally allowing them to stand up -after two hours sitting around on their butts it would only be fair to consider this rite as a pain, right?-. Groups of Priests and nuns walked in blissful silence with grace and patience.

Thinking of these believers as a hive mind was one of Caren's pleasures. Sure she shouldn't think like that considering that each of them had been very gracious with her and excused some of her more mean spirited pranks with a sigh and a pat on the head, she was also certain that it was only because they had thought her father and grandfather would rip their heads off should they even hurt a hair on her head.

It annoyed her that people though that way and not even considered her feelings towards the matter, but at least she could have harmless fun making the rookie Executors pee into their pants when she told them an evil spirit latched onto their souls and wanted them to run around like a chicken.

That was another thing that annoyed her. Her eyes. Her yellow eyes could see phantasmal creatures of any kind, which she displayed by accident in front of a few Veterans, and was therefore trained not only to protect herself but those around her. Father Cornelius always called her sight a blessing and a curse in the same sentence which irritated her. What was it? A blessing from god and a right to protect the people or a curse whose effect she didn't understand?

Ignoring the nagging of the older nuns, Caren moved swiftly away from the flooding masses rushing to the Mass hall for today's Mozzarella Pasta -a dish she didn't even want to be aware of since it contained cheese. She hated cheese and anything that had to do with milk! Milk was the enemy, a deadly poison others were just unwilling to part from. A curse was bestowed upon any milk product that it consumed the souls of the non-believers and made them slaves to its white brilliance!

A tap on her head. In annoyance she looked upwards, seeing the smiling face of her least favorite priest. "How may I help you Father Cornelius?" she asked politely, bowing as was taught to her while keeping her stoic expressionless face straight.

The old priest laughed lightly at her display of formalities before scoping her up in his arms. "I am sorry for being so boring Caren." the old geezer said with a smile, to which she had to grimace with furrowed eyebrows -How did he figure it out? She was at the back with hundreds of scholars between him and her- before attempting to get off.

He let her down, then held out a hand for her, after seeing that she didn't react the old priest slumped his shoulders. Instead he motioned for her to follow her. He was going to let her pray again -she just knew it- in that old church at the outskirts of the Vatican.

The sun was hot.

Annoying.

The path they walked on was littered with loose bricks and lots of broken mosaic pieces.

Annoying.

The old man was singing an old Aria about some virgin and his holy quest.

Annoying.

Her feet were hurting.

Annoying.

She still hadn't recovered from that boring sermon and she could feel the presence of anything around her leaving the yellow tinted street.

Annoying.

Why did he have to drag her through some abandoned church that no one bothered to renovate? Right, because he could and because it was somehow his property. She let out a faint breath -a sigh in disguise since she didn't want to look hostile the entire time- and prayed that the old man would just lead her to the closest ice cream parlor.

Of course he wouldn't and Caren was forced to step before the altar in the middle of it. To her bewilderment it looked less run down than the last time she got here. Something she took no pleasure from. The old geezer then left her to do god knows what and she was left on her own kneeling in front of a strangely shaped cross with six arms but no Jesus statue crucified on the front as was usual for the Catholic Church.

Did the church enjoy seeing the lord and savior suffering on crosses everywhere in the world or why else was that image associated with them? No she was genuinely curious, after all wouldn't it be a better symbol to just have a cross without Jesus like the orthodox and protestant churches got it? Wasn't it cruel to leave poor Jesus hanging without anyone holding him that sponge to that he had requested before dying?

Surely someone in the church took pleasure in watching him in pain. She felt indifferent towards it, having watched that image countless times, but that thought always came to her mind when she looked at this cross.

And then there was that window image hanging on the only good opening of this rundown building. It was a mandala with strange and unfamiliar patterns that resembled oriental Wall paintings. Why she knew how it looked like? Because that accursed sun shone in such a way that the light projected its image directly in front of her eyes.

She smiled, feeling a familiar emptiness whenever she saw this image. No Jesus. No holy people. No annoying images of angels and demons trying to rip human souls apart. Just calm emptiness.

Caren bowed before the cross, letting the sun and shadows tickle her form before the melody Father Cornelius sang of entered her mind. Without her own input she spoke each word he did with careful attention. In the past three months she had been instructed to go to this church every time the Father wanted her to and pray before the lord so that his light and guidance could show her soul the way.

In other words it was a means for her to obtain the divine aria, the churches ultimate weapon against the accursed Dead Apostles and Demons. Fiends whose only desire contained of stealing little children souls and feeding them to their dogs. Sure those where harmless versions of what was actually going on but it helped her fuel the desire to fight against the heathens.

Her believes would guide her.

Then there was father. Why he entered her mind, she couldn't be sure of. Maybe because everyone she knew had said that she took right after the genius Kirei Kotomine. A young boy who learned the aria before his tenth birthday. The young man who rose to great heights in nearly all classes within the church yet never archiving lasting greatness. Surely it was a mockery from everyone.

Why was everyone expecting her to take after him? She didn't know him. Never could and probably never will but that didn't stop her surroundings from charging right at her with inquiries and wishes and good luck charms and blessings and people are generally speaking idiots.

Misguided by their attempts of creating a world free from the Magus Association's influence, the desire to limit the use of wonders and the will to enforce their so called justice onto every poor soul that didn't want to hear about it. Caren sometimes wondered whether the Church truly managed to outgrow its old ideals and idioms.

Sometimes she wondered whether she should just go explode or let herself turn to foam just to make those old timers have a heart attack.

But that wouldn't do. She was bored and she wanted to see her mother. Jesus was allowed to see her before he died as well as when he ascended to the heavens, so why wasn't she allowed to. She figured one of the reasons why nobody was too angry with her when she played pranks was due to the fact that her mother wasn't the most stable chick in the nest.

How futile life seemed everyday she grew older.

Although she did enjoy seeing a cardinal loose his pants during a mess with at least a thousand believers watching his lips for every word. The never saw it coming and they sure as the holy light will never forget the sight of a full moon burning into their eyes for the rest of their lives.

Back to business, she thought still reciting the old priest's words before she forgot what he talked to her about. At least if she did this with as much passion and attention to her surroundings as those clergy she got to know over the years, she might be able to Master the secret arts of sleep talking and sleeping with her eyes open!

Caren wasn't sure how long she sung. Nor did she know how her mouth was still moving. The only thing she did know was that the Mandala created by glass and light before her began to shape itself rounder, until it became a complete circles.

She innocently prayed for something to appear and whisk her away from her chores. A wish she should have had and should be ashamed of since it was unbecoming of someone such as her to let go of the lords chosen path.

A sigh escaped her lips as she closed her eyes and spoke with clarity to a god whose face she would never see "Dear lord in heaven, forgive this child for its selfishness and disinterest and her carvings for multi-layered cakes without any milk. Forgive this child for uttering personal grudges and guide me to a path of true radiance." she made half of her prayer up but as long as Father Cornelius wasn't around she could play around with her believes a little, right?

The circle in front of her began to shine.

Not from the sun but more from within itself which was odd and looked strange. Not that she minded, after all the light was so bright that she couldn't look at it straight anyway. She got up from her position on the ground -feeling slightly excited but more indifferent towards this strange occurrence- before the light subdued to reveal a dark clad figure in the middle of the church.

Dust thrown up into the air blocked her sight but she knew that a black cloaked figure knelt right before her. Those cloths reminded her of the Islamic attire women wore in Arabic countries, dark, yet rich, with patterns of flowers and embroideries stitched at the hem, glowing from the feint light shining on them. The only thing that appeared to be uncovered was a slit between the scar in front of the figure and its hood which extended towards it back.

Once her sight cleared the cloaked figure opened its eyes and stared into hers. They appeared dull yet somehow radiant in a way that Caren couldn't understand fully yet. "Are you the one who summoned me?" the figure spoke, its voice female so she decided to call it a woman for now.

"No."

"Then what is that mark on your hand?"

She looked down at her hands, only now noticing the mark of a white Rosemary with three crosses shining on her right hand. Strange, but she had seen stranger things and shrugged "I don't know. I was just praying to the lord in heaven to forgive one of his lambs." she answered truthfully.

The woman before her appeared to be confused before a sigh was heard from under the scarf. Such a pretty pattern. Before she came face to face with the black clothed eyes.

They were deep, very deep, frighteningly so, yet she couldn't bring herself to tear away from it. Those eyes reminded her of them. Of her parents. And it fascinated her to see someone with blind devotion stand before her.

"So you only prayed to your god? You did not wish for anything nor wanted to summon me?" she shook her head no, she only prayed to god to forgive her…and maybe get to eat one of those expensive looking meals the Cardinals always receive…so who could believe that someone would appear in the middle of a church.

"You aren't an angel are you?" Caren asked tilting her head slightly "If you are, why are you wearing black?"

The black clothed figure didn't say anything, probably contemplating whether to silence her or something. "I am not. Someone might call me Assassin, but I do not have the right to call myself such." the figure answered, but Caren didn't like the silence she received afterward.

"So you've got a name. No matter how you look at it, Assassin isn't really a name but more a job description for the Church's Enforcers."

Another sigh "No, I have no name. I haven't devoted myself to my god. Simple as that."

"Then, do you want to pray together? It's getting pretty boring if you stand in one place on your own. I would enjoy the company and you look lonely yourself too." childish. Such a request was childish and she knew that, yet she knew that if she let this woman go then she would be stuck here for the rest of her life without seeing anything new at all!

To her surprise the woman contemplated, kneeling beside her and holding her hands in a silent prayer. "Are you catholic?"

"Did nobody teach you to remain silent while whispering your God's words?"

Touche.

… – – – – – …

When Father Cornelius arrived at the church she and the hooded woman were still praying. She knew it was him from the way his voice got stuck in his throat.

"Caren" he began but she didn't turn around since she had promised not to stop her posture. Being a defiant child was fun.

"Yes, Father Cornelius?"

"Why is a Servant praying next to you?" his words surprised her just as much as the swift motion of Assassin. A dagger was in her hand but the hooded woman hadn't moved farther than a step when she came to a halt. "Well it doesn't matter at the moment, how about we have a long comfortable talk in Caren's room?"

Uh oh. Caren knew the tone in his voice and immediately got up from her kneeling position. Assassin was still frozen so she let her amber gaze drop to see a Black Key knife sticking into the ground. Of course Father Cornelius would be able to do it in complete silence. Heck if he couldn't than some of the more ambitious members of the Church would have replaced him by now.

She motioned for Assassin to relax and went under the woman's robe to retrieve the Black key from her shadow.

After everything was said and done she noticed Father Cornelius had already left.

"He's fast."

"Yes he is."

"…"

"Please don't kill him."

"I wasn-"

"I could see it in your eyes."

"…"

"Let's go." she took the woman's hand and led her out of the old rusty church.

… – – – – – …

A/N: I think I'm gonna take a while to rest up, so don't expect the next chapter until Christmas or later. My health isn't at its nest at the moment and life has generally been hard, but if you want to read or see more from me look me up at tumblr under "Prelude to Zero" where I might upload this story too.

Until next time and thanks for the avid reviews and response XD

Yours dear,

Sha Yurigami

… – – – – – …

P.s. The next chapter will feature the last of the Servant Master pairs, and it will be glorious:

… – – – – – …

 **Preview:**

" **Zecchan!"**

… – – – – – …


	7. Zecchan!

When she woke up, she didn't expect the ground to feel so uncomfortable. Or as greasy. Only faint memories, images of something fantastical happening yet nothing coherent invaded her mind. The only thing she was aware of was that she laid in the middle of a forest in only her track suit and the ashes of a once great campfire dispersing in the air. What's it called? Right, smoke.

For some strange reason she felt like Smoke and Ash. But since she couldn't let her heart _or_ body lay around lazily like a bum she decided to get up. she threw her legs up, heaved her arms behind her head and kicked herself into the air and onto the ground with both legs.

She stretched and groaned before slapping her cheeks to return to her cheery persona.

Tonight was supposed to be the last night of her personal training camp! And her grandpa was a real sourpuss when it came to her staying out this late.

She hurriedly packed up her things, from the uncomfortable blanket she apparently laid on, to the thermos she had filled with coffee -which she thankfully didn't drink since coffee was disgusting without tons of sugar- and the tent that had been ruined by the storm the day before.

Right as she was about to take off, her eyes lingered on a slap of wood laying damp on the grass a few feet away from her.

Shrugging and running off she pondered why she noticed something like that.

…––––––––––…

When she returned home as expected her entire family came rushing and asking her if she was okay. Of course she ignored most of them and went straight to her room after throwing her junk at the nearest idiot.

A smile grazed her lips as she saluted her grangran before walking through the mansion. It was old, it was wooden and she seriously wondered what her father did to get adopted by a family like this. Anyway she rushed to her room, changed her clothes and threw herself onto her bed for blissful oblivion.

…––––––––––…

When she woke up the next morning, the same images returned to her mind. She didn't understand it. Why was she dreaming of something that shouldn't have happened ye- Her eyes widen.

Why did she think those thinks were going to happen? How would she know something like this? It wasn't like she suddenly became a precog and could see into the future, help people and become a superhero, or anything but since those dreams continued to plague her mind she wonder what meaning they might have.

She slapped her face. Hyped herself up, jumped off the bed and prepared for the day. School was starting again and she had missed at least a weeks worth of homework which meant supplementary lessons!

She walked over to her closet to get her uniform out before catching something in the corner of her eye. Her mirror hung right to her closet, allowing her to examine herself, but for but the fraction of a moment she swore that she saw a white figure in her mirror.

But when she only saw her own reflection after farther examination, she went back to her task and prepared for the day.

…––––––––––…

"TAIGA FUJIMURA!" her father screamed crushing through the living room while she ate her pancakes -damn for a group of buff men they sure knew how to make delicious home cooking!- panting like a little girl after an hour of running circles (at least she suspected other girls doing that as well).

On TV, the news of another family left dead in their house ran.

As usual she greeted him with a wave while going through the things she had to learn. Breakfast was meant to be quiet but her father was still going on and on about her leaving the house in the middle of the night with the reasoning that she needed to train for an upcoming tournament (although that was only going to happen in a few months). She ignored him and thought back to her dreams, then to the dread that was her homework before saying a swift goodbye to everyone.

…––––––––––…

"Taiga-chan, are you okay?" her friends asked while she walked beside them. School was over fairly early considering all the scolding she had received. Heck even the amount of supplementary stuff was postponed due to the Serial Killer than runs through the streets, so~ at least there she was sparred.

She looked at her friends with a smile, before lunging forward and grabbing one of them. She leaned onto the girl while fake sobbing and groaning -for real- about the amount of stuff she had to learn and all the terrible teachers saying all that bad stuff about her.

"Say, do you want to go to the mall than?" Otoko asked her and she immediately brightened.

"Let's go!" she screamed running in front of them while the others shook their heads and followed along.

…––––––––––…

They visited the shops and stores, looking at all the expensive things they wanted to buy once they became independent. Taiga clung to her newest besty Otoko while the other girls chatted about the newest cafe that had been opened close by.

"Say," Otoko started and she had to look at her friend with wide eyes "What are you going to do after school?"

"Hm~ is Neko-chan being sentimental agai~n?" she whispered blowing the hair off her friends face. She didn't regret it, even when "Neko" grabbed her face forcefully, and instead laughed like her life depended on it.

"I'm trying to be serious here!" Neko said with a scowl.

"Well, dunno."

It too Neko a few seconds to understand what she just said, time she used to get just out of reach "Isn't your uncle in the police force? Don't you want to be like him you oaf?" Neko asked instead allowing her to be silly for once.

"I'm not my _great-_ uncle, he's an old wolf and always told me not to go off and do dangerous thin-…" her face paled.

"So he doesn't know of your little excursion into the wild." Neko said with a smirk already knowing that she was imagining the older Fujimura hailing a fit of scolding rivaling Armageddon onto her "Have your just desert."

"You're so cruel Otoko-chan!"

"How many times do I need to tell you not to call me that!"

"Otoko! Otoko! Otok-" her breathing hitched, her eyes widened and she forgot completely what she was doing at the moment.

Her eyes feel on a pair of women. A blond foreigner, with her hair tied in a ponytail, wearing a black suit and gloves, and the woman next to her.

She knew her. She didn't know why. But she knew her. Knew that pale complexion, the white tresses flowing through the air like silky milk and those mesmerizing red eyes that now looked at her. She knew that smile. That little gesture with her hand and she couldn't help but feel the pain in her chest growing and nearly breaking her apart.

"-aiga. Taiga! Are you even listening to me?" Neko screamed into her ear at which she immediately snapped out of her trance.

"Huh? What!"

"You were spacing out just now." Neko said, also looking at the pair of foreigners "It's pretty rare to see tourists this time of the year. Can't blame you for looking." she whispered although Taiga heard it so clear as if it had been screamed into her ear.

"Uhm, sorry but I think I'll go home now." she said at which her friends looked concerned.

"Taiga?" they called out to her but she ran.

Ran like someones life depended on it.

…––––––––––…

What was going? She didn't understand anything. She ran and ran and ran so fast that she hadn't noticed that her face became pale and her breathing stopped entirely.

It hurt.

It burned.

Something in the midst of her mind was trying desperately to surface to make her see, hear, and feel and it scared her more than anything…because she wants all of that.

When she finally came to a halt, night had already settled around the city. Darkness was something she came accustomed to. Why? Where had she become accustomed to the dark and why did it feel horrible and great at the same time? Her eyes felt unfocused. Seeing images that weren't there. A castle like building with countless windows. A room with two couches and a table in the middle.

Person after person entering to receive something. One stranger than the last and each leaving with sadness or madness. What did they come for? Why was she seeing all of that. Things that shouldn't have happened at this point in time.

How was she aware of that?

Why was she aware of that?

It didn't make any sense.

A slab of wood, laying on the damp grass met her eyes.

Time came to a halt.

She knew this place.

Just a day ago she had been here, nearly drowning from the cup of coffee she forced herself to drink and laying still until the morning came. But while her body died, her spirit traveled. Far far into something that shouldn't exist.

Her body grew cold and she remembered.

She remembered the woman who helped her understand.

Long white hair tied at the back of her head while wearing a pink kimono.

Her eyes didn't leave the piece of wood, drawing closer to it while mustering every ounce of strength she could mutter to lift it off the ground. Her fingernails dug into the material, feeling the rotten wood and how it gave in to her ministrations. Her breath refused to return, focusing solely on the task in her hands.

She pulled. So hard that her hands and arms began to burn. Her legs began to wobble and her tears streamed down her face like hot rivers.

And when she finally managed to lift the accursed wood of the ground tears immediately fell as she embraced it.

Imprinted on it were the words: **Einzbern Consultation Room**

And why her searing hot tears streamed from her eyes a single goblet with three flowers manifested themselves onto her right hand.

The night was basked into brilliant white light as a sole figure reached her hands forward.

…––––––––––…

Once the light subdued Taiga was sure her eyes and mouth couldn't be farther opened. Before her in all her glory stood a very familiar white haired beauty wearing something akin to a ceremonial garb although leaving much less to the imagination than she would have preferred.

Red irises met hers and she could see for only a second doubt, before they widened and tears threatened to fall. A delicate hand covered the woman's lips while another covered the space above her heart.

Taiga could have said something.

Maybe.

She was to occupied by throwing the wood aside before tackling the woman in a hug that might or might not have broken the space time continuum.

She wallowed. Cried snorted and laughed incorrigibly while the woman in her arms took a few more moments until she returned the affection.

"Zecchan!"

"Sensei! Irisviel-sensei!"

They continued screaming at each other, not caring that their appearance was smeared and muddled by tears and snot. They just didn't care at this point and only wanted to embrace the joy that this reunion brought upon!

"Sensei! Sensei, I can't believe that you're here!" she screamed tightening her hold on the albinos shoulders.

"Me too! Me tooooooo!" the white haired screamed relishing at the fact that she existed once again, although something felt different.

"Uhm, I hate to interrupt whatever you are having but,"

The unfamiliar voice of a woman broke them off of each other. Their eyes simultaneously landed a red haired woman in an a Celtic dress carrying a young girl with purple hair.

"Can you help us?" the woman asked "May Master isn't feeling well and since you appear to have a command seal similar to her. Oh, where are my manners." the woman bowed to the best of her ability "I'm Berserker.

…––––––––––…

Zelrecht watched how every watch in his office spun out of control. Something wasn't right. Somebody messed with the flow of time but that couldn't be. He had killed the last person who could have this much influence over time and space and that battle paled in comparison to his fight with Crimson Moon…Well no, not really but that person had helped him against that vampire menace and _that_ spoke of their power.

No.

It couldn't be. She sat down and took a sip from his blood tea to calm his nerves, closing his eyes at the taste of his beverage. He was just getting sentimental or paranoid? It wasn't possible and that prank from the other day was surely a one time happenstance.

After all who would mess with someone who could (-no longer-) throw a moon at you.

When he opened his eyes, he immediately closed them again.

No.

He opened them again, before he closed them once more.

Nonono.

And again.

Nonononononononononononononononononononononononono! It seriously can't be! There wasn't an old man dressed in red with two red haired kids on his lap smoking a candy cigar sitting right in front of them. NO. it wasn't possibl-

"Hello Zelly-chan." the old man said with a gentle tone while Zelrecht could only do a single thing.

"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Scream like a little girl.

…––––––––––…

 _A/N Happy_ (belated) _Holidays! I hope you're enjoyed the little surprise I threw you in this chapter!_

 _Let's talk real here people, the only person who really needed to come around and be saved in F/zero was (beside Sakura) our dearly beloved Irisviel von Einzbern! I mean think about it. Iri is basically barely nine years old which makes her the youngest legal loli in existence! And to throw Taiga in this was just an added bonus._

 _At the end I left a few clues as to why Taiga could remember all of the Fate/Zero extra episodes and where that might take her in the plot. And to people wondering why I was talking about her uncle who never appeared in canon..._

 _Let's say it's advertise for my other story "F/Z Requiem of a nightmare" which to this day never got a single review. I mean come on! Why does nobody want to tell me their opinion?!_

 _Anyway I hope that the last bits of this chapter brought a smile to your lips! Remember to R &R and have Merry Christmas!_

 _The next chapter is title "Crossroad of Fates" and will feature a very interesting mash up!_

 _See you next time,_

 _Yours dear_

 _Sha Yurigami_


	8. Crossroad of Fate

…––––––––––…

He didn't care how they looked at him. He certainly didn't care that people were dropping their stuff the moment they saw him or that they looked like they had seen a ghost. Heck he loved doing that to the students and certainly to his unsuspecting victims in different timelines.

But! **He,** Zelrecht Kishur Schweinorg, never ever, in his whole existence as a multiversal being, has screamed like a little girl! Unless you count this little endeavor.

The students certainly didn't expect him running through the corridors screaming like a girl on prom night because her makeup was running and her date was waiting in front of her house, twisting and turning around to look for the Chainsaw killer who would ultimately split her apart with a machete because movies make no sense nowadays and flailing her arms in an attempt -an attempt!- to gain more speed.

Now that that painful metaphor had dropped from his mind he became aware that _**it**_ was messing with his head again. No not the author, not the audience that isn't able to comprehend his screaming antics and couldn't imagine him doing so for their life, and certainly not the kids that were riding on _**its**_ arms as Zelrecht came face to face with them around the next corner.

"Would you quit yelling Zelly-chan? It's hurting those old ears of mine." the old bearded _b*stard_ said to him disappearing with a blink once Zelrecht turned around and ran the other way only for _**it**_ to reappear around the next corner.

It was getting ridiculous, he thought as he sprinted off to the department of summoning to the far side of the Clock Tower.

…––––––––––…

"So~" she started looking at the child in front of her. Saber and Ilya had driven through the cold wastelands of Germany -strange since she couldn't remember there being this much land uncovered by civilization during the industrial age- and drove over the alps to Switzerland since the map the old sauerkraut had left them with had transformed into ashes and their gasoline was running low.

The blond had decided that following the old man instructions wasn't going to help them. Then again her Master was looking so adorable while staring out of the car. A wide eye sparkly look on the face at the sight of mountains that weren't covered in snow and debris. It was annoying at first to drive so slowly but as long as she could see that carefree look on the child's face she might actually enjoy going a little slower. Ironically enough that mindset actually saved them from refueling the tank with gasoline a good number of times.

Going back to the problem at hand, Saber was silently cursing the old sauerkraut for his attempts at manipulation. At first she hadn't thought much of the strange papers laying inside the storage unit in the car but when she saw Ilya reach for them to draw on them a spike of nearly untraceable aura alarmed her and she took the paper into her hands before the child could.

It had been rigged. In fact she was more than certain that the entire time the sauerkraut hadn't left his eyes off them and that made her anxious. She had thrown the papers and anything that screamed tempering out of the car just as they entered the alps. Although, had she not promised to buy Ilya something in the next town the girl would have chewed and spit her out like an old gum. A little shudder went up her spine at realizing that the child already had this much power over her.

"Ilya, where would you like to go first? We're kind of running low on gas and if I remember the map correctly there should be a small town nearby." she asked the child marveling at the sight of large mountain lakes and snow covered summits. In life she never even dreamed of seeing such sights and it made her reluctantly glad to be summoned into this Grail War.

The child was currently looking out her as if she grew a second head and she had to wonder what caused that reaction. "You remembered that?! But the Map went all poof and away!" she laughed at the way Ilya described that, emphasizing each word with wailing her arms around and even mimicking how the paper exploded.

"When I was alive, I mean in my time, we had to learn how to ride horses, how to hunt and learn how to read maps. It was a necessary skill since the lands were filled with war and misery." she glanced at the child which suddenly went silent, caught off guard by the look of wonder and respect she received.

"You can ride ponies?" the child asked with sparkles in her eyes and a little shudder in her voice.

" **That's** the thing your focusing on?!" Saber exclaimed exasperated.

"Can you teach me?" Ilya asked innocently making the knight's eyes nearly fly out of their socks.

"Huh?"

"I always wanted a pony but Mama and Kiritsugu wouldn't let me…" the little one spoke in words shrouded by uncertainty and the next words made it clear just how much Saber wanted to murder the old Sauerkraut "Am I bad? Grandpa always said that I shouldn't be selfish and that I have to uphold our honor…Am I bad for leaving and being selfish?"

Saber put a gentle touch to the side of Ilya's body and pressed the child flushed against her side, half embracing her "Nope, not gonna listen to that crap. You can be as selfish as you want for now, after all you can't be a brat forever, just enjoy it as much as you can."

"But I won't grow anymore soon." the knight's eyes widened at those words "Grandpa and Mama said that I won't grow anymore when I become ten or eleven and that its important for our family. Mama said I have a lot of potential and that I will be very strong soon. Stronger than Mama and Kiritsugu so that I can protect myself, but I don't understand why. Mama and Papa are already strong and they're gonna protect me right Onee-chan?"

Saber could only smile on the outside, caressing the child's head while it hugged her tightly. On the inside the knight was fuming with anger. She nearly picked up the pace and kicked into the gas pedal but a small little voice in the back of her mind reminded her that it would scare the child.

So many thoughts were going through his head. Why would that Sauerkraut even tell such a small child **that!** And why did her Mother even allow that tempering on her child. Sure she understood that these Magus morons only saw offspring as an extension of their craft but-BUT! Saber gritted her teeth together to the point it hurt and forced her smile so that the child wouldn't worry. Her pride as a knight wouldn't allow her not to.

But she never had any pride in being a manufactured human. Homonculus. That's what beings like her and the child are, and all those Maids inside the castle as well. She wasn't sure about the Sauerkraut but she sure as hell that he was at least a century old. He smelled so much like those Magicians in her time and that pissed her off. The only thing that didn't was the fact that her Master's mother at least seemed to care about her daughter so much that she told her the truth as early as possible before leaving for the Grail War.

How stupid, the knight thought driving slowly into the town that was coming into view. Ilya to her left was fast asleep with a smile on her face. Saber gave the child a warm smile, she was going to get this child to her parents and then demand some answers.

She wanted to know why her father didn't do anything while his daughter was tempered with.

…––––––––––…

"So to understand this correctly; while you were praying to the lord in heaven like a good child the light from the window formed a circle from which this more than obvious looking Assassin-Class Servant sprung forth. Did I sum it up correctly?" Father Cornelius spoke with the same friendly and gentle tone he used when they were in the church.

Had it not been for the child's eyes that time she would have bolted into the night in search for the enemy. Anyone daring to reach such a sacrilegious object like the Holy Grail has to be punished -Although she was shocked to know that each Grail War had at least one Hassan-i-Sabbath- at least she shared a similar sentiment with the child who looked as annoyed as she felt in front of the priest.

"That is correct Father Cornelius." the child spoke with a voice filled with clarity and little emotion. A respectable feed, she noted, as it was unusual for someone at such a young age to behave like one of her own. A christian at that. Although it became clear to her that she wasn't in front of regular believers of the prophet but a more specialized hunting group.

The priest let out a sigh as he eyed her and then the child "And what about those markings on your hand?"

A good question. She had wondered about that as well. Something compelled her to believe that the child had called her, but at the same time it couldn't be. She had no desire for the false Relic even if some if some of her brothers and sisters did. How strange.

"I was going to ask that as well esteemed Father, I have no recollection as to why this appeared and why it looks like a Rosemary. Might you know Father Cornelius?"

Childish and unashamed of her words. A true child with the stoic mannerism of an executioner. A contrast she found fascinating and honestly admirable. Although she would have the child rather release her hand from this vice grip. It was probably to stop her from killing that man and rush out of the city. She might be able to get away but should there be more people like the priest in the city it might become difficult.

"In fact I do, hence why I had you pray at that old church to begin with."

" **What?"**

She found herself saying the same as the child next to her. They didn't bother to look at each other, it was evident that they were shocked. Assassin was unsure why the priest just admitted that he made a child summon her, but judging by the grip on her hand the child still wanted to hear the answer, as if it knew that she was going to kill him.

"What do you mean Father?"

"It was mainly as request by an old friend of mine. I thought of him as dead but then he contacted me just a week before I had you pray and sing at the old church." he said with a smile kneeling in front of the child and holding up a pair of thin paper strips "Whatever Servant your father was to summon in the Grail War, you were to call its natural counter. But sadly that is all that I know. Here, take these tickets, they allow you and your companion to travel to the Fuyuki Grail War, stop your father from committing more sins."

"What are you talking about?" she interjected, the entire conversation was going by his pace and she wanted to at least get a gist of the situation she had found herself in.

"You are not one of the Clan heads are you?" the priest asked, not even looking at her as his hand found the child's and put the papers onto it.

She didn't need to answer the question, he already knew that she was an heretic but it unsettled her that he smiled at her.

"Good, that means that you might just be the one to stop Hassin-i-Sabbath" he eyes widened sightly, not enough to give him the impression that she was shocked "If you appeared for little Caren, then that means that Kirei has indeed summoned one of the Clan leaders into this war. Surely you wouldn't forgive one of your own for desiring a sacrilegious Object like the Holy Grail, right?"

She could kill him. Could being the word, as the hand holding hers was somehow preventing her from doing just that. But at the end of the day, the priest was right, she had to punish her brethren for tarnishing their believe.

"How do you know so much Father?" the child asked, still as stoic appearing yet the hand clasping hers was tightening, "Why would it matter if I stopped father from doing anything if he himself choose to do it. Its his decision to live his life and he choose to leave me. Nothing I do or say will sway him."

"Clearly you are mistaken my child" the priest said, that ever present smile slowly fading "Because the one thing me and your grandfather know is that your father is broken, fundamentally so and the only thing proving that he is indeed human is you."

"What? But that doesn't make any sense."

"It will, once you spoke with him. You are the one thing he ever ran away from and that makes him more human than he realizes." the priest got up eyeing her, making it clear that the child was now my responsibility whether I liked it or not. Strange, she didn't mind it that much. Maybe it was right for her to never receive a Name when she was still this human.

"Go now, the Vatican will cover the costs for you until you arrive in Fuyuki, take the train to Bucharest, from there you may take a flight straight towards Fuyuki or take any other route you see fit. From what I personally heard the department of summoning in the Clock Tower is going to pester the Church as well as the Holy Sacrament Office about this summoning.

"May the Lord be with you my Child"

The child looked at him in an unimpressed manner, clearly still confused by is words as they were mostly directed at Assassin. The Priest still placed his hands on the child's head and drew the shape of a cross onto its forehead. His eyes were warm and filled with an emotion she had seen but never experienced. She didn't need to understand it though as the child was now in her custody and she had to leave as fast as possible as there were possible pursuers still lurking in the shadows.

She grabbed the child around the middle and jumped out of the window, sparing a last glance at the priest who returned it.

…––––––––––…

"How may I help you today?" Zelrecht spoke ,sitting in his office which was now scandalously clad in Christmas-y colors, each word escaping his mouth was laid with venom and hatred while the jolly old man in red was sitting across from him.

"Just a fair warning: I'm a now Caster-Rider Double Summon, so be a little more, what's the word Kohaku?" the child turned to him with its head tilting sightly.

"Careful?" the girl guessed.

"Yes! Yes indeed. Zelly-chan you should be careful! What else Hissui?" Now it was the twins turn to look thoughtful.

"Hm~ maybe play nice?"

"Oh I like that! You heard the children Zelly, be careful and play nice!"

He hated him. He hated this monstrosity more than anything in his entire existence. There weren't many monsters he couldn't deal with -the three Dead Apostles Ancestors above him included- but this. This jolly old fool with all this goodness nonsense and happy attitude. It sickened him to think that a being as old as that could remain so childish and human.

"How about you just come to the point. And drop this jolly old man stick, you're scaring my secretary and half of my staff with it."

"But it was so funny! How you ran into Kayneth's classroom and screamed at him to Kill Santa Claus! The children loved it! You should have seen the looks of all those students and how they laughed once they only saw Kohaku and Hissui holding up that drawing of me. Hohoho! Brilliant! We didn't have this much fun since you were but a boy. Do you remember Zelly?" the old man spoke his voice still merry and that smile still as sweet as sugar.

Shit. He looked over his shoulder and saw his secretary.

Double shit.

She had the eyes of a child in toy land.

Triple shit.

There were shadows behind her holding up what he could assume to be information storage units.

Great now the entire Magi Community will know that the great old Wizard Marshall was scared of Santa Claus. Of all things it could be! After all those speculations from all those people throughout the possibilities. Nobody would guess that he was scared by the jolly old man in red.

"I have no fond memories like that! You made me come with you every godforsaken year to bring some ungrateful brats presents! Why do you think I tried to kill you! We don't need you in this world old man, we never needed you and whatever legend you have left already contaminates every child everywhere into thinking that you come only for them to be disappointed that you never do!"

"So you forgot how their smiles made you smile as well? Is that the reason why all your students break under your tutelage? You have forgotten how to be grateful and how to love since you became a Vampire and even though you treat Arcreid with so much care you never once told her that you cared for her." the old man got on his nerves. He tried to shift the room into a different dimension but the geezer stomped onto the ground and shattering whatever Prana he was going to channel.

"Why esteemed holder of the first and second Magic have you returned from the dead?" he sneered, knowing full well that the old man was nowhere near that level of power at the moment. All he had to do was kill the children and his anchor to this realm was chattered and he's leave. That's what happens if you incarnate yourself as something less than before!

"To teach the next generation."

What?

The children looked at him, all smiles and little care. He let them climb off his legs and run around summoning part of his workshop to let them tinker and play.

Zelrecht had to take a double take.

"You can't be serious."

"You still don't believe in Wundermensch."

"Yeah right, like I would. The idea that collectively a handful of people decide to do good and help people for the sake of helping them. Like such an idealized version of man could exist in the pitfall called humanity. Grow up you jolly old fuck, humanity is doomed and you can't do anything against it."

"What does that mean?" Kohaku asked with her twin looking just as puzzled.

"It's a cuss word meant to insult others, but its more hurtful and mean than anything else and it would do you well to forget it okay?"

"Okay!" the twins chirped going right back to building what looked like a reindeer automaton with a red nose.

The old man turned back to look at his former pupil, still smiling though "Please don't swear in front of children. At that age they are very impressionable."

Zerlrecht sneered at the man, clearly showing his disdain for the entire situation "Yeah, yeah, or else little old Krampus comes and takes me away, right?"

"He would have done that at the beginning but I kindly asked him not to, once scared the children enough and I wouldn't want to make them relive certain moments unnecessarily."

"You and your goodwill. It was already your downfall once and yet you refuse to learn."

"What is wrong with goodwill and kindness? Isn't it normal to wish any child ,no matter what age they believe themselves to be, happiness and goodness?"

"If you truly believe that than why did you let Miss Edelfeld summon Tristan instead of Atlanta?" he laughed at the shocked expression on the old man's face and relished at the shocked gasps from behind his secretary. They could hear as much of this conversation as they wanted, they'll be replaced by alternate versions of themselves anyway.

"Oh, you're right!" the jolly old man brought his large hand to his beard and started to stroke it carefully "Thank you! Hohoho, then let's just do that!" the jolly old man said clapping his hands together while Zelrecht looked as out of the water as a fish would.

…––––––––––…

"Is-is this how people remember my legend?" the red haired knight whispered watching the credits for that awful movie rolling. Sure it was poorly produced, full of nonsensical and fantastic elements yet the one regret he held in his heart was slowly melting.

The blond child next to him was slowly inching away from his crying form, clearly unsettled by the way the Servant was behaving. They had went to the Movie Room her Mother apparently prepared years ago and sat on large sofas, although it still felt cramped and stiff with the knights theatrics.

Was he happy?

Was he sad?

Even he wasn't sure what he felt as he realized that his wish had already been fulfilled.

"Not a man who couldn't love his wife, yearning for another, betraying his king and falling into disgrace. But a noble knave, growing into a great knight, felling his foes and holding his beloved, true to his word and bowing to the rule of a kind and understanding king! Truly a marvel!" he screamed feeling the light cascading around his body and feeling the soft hands of his beloved finally caressing the wound in his heart.

The child in utter astonishment as the knight made a ridiculous pose before his body slowly formed into light and disappeared "Thank …you…" he whispered at last letting an honest smile form on his lips.

Luvia stared in bafflement as the Servant disappeared. She felt betrayed, happy and a mix of others as she watched him disappear, leaving white rose petals which fell into the shape of a perfect circle which immediately ignited once everything laid out perfectly and the shape of a woman sprouted forth.

The little blond had to blink a couple of times since she wasn't sure why instead of the knight had assumed to be her Servant turned into a green haired woman. In fact the newcomer was clothed entirely in green and black and had those adorable cat ears and tail. She had to repress her childish urges to touch the fluff stuff as another mattered actually weight more on her mind.

"Tristan? Why did you turn into a catwoman?" the child asked at which the new figure looked at her questioningly. Then those green eyes widened and a sweet laugh escaped those lips.

"Oh, you mean that guy from before. Apparently he ascended into a higher plain cause his wish was granted, so~ sorry to tell you but you are going to be stuck with me." the woman held out her hand for a simple handshake "My name is Atlanta, and just like my predecessor I am of the Archer class."

At least this one smiled honestly, Luvia concluded shaking the outstretched had with both of hers. Now she could finally ask.

"Can I touch your tail and ears?"

"As long as you don't squeeze too hard."

…––––––––––…

"Just like that?!"

"Just like that!" the old man was laughing at Zelrecht's reaction holding his stomach and wiping a couple tears from his eye.

"How!? Why? But…" granted he knew that the jolly old man could do the impossible but that…THAT-

"The bearer of the third magic agreed with me that this time we shouldn't let the adults play idiots and we came to the arrangement we have now, as long as Ruler isn't summoned me and the other additional Servants can change at any given time."

"What nonsense are you spouting? Justezea is dead, her original personality dissolved in the centuries and only her outwards appearance is slightly intact." Zelrecht spat, his nerves were on edge. Sure there were a couple alternatives that had a still conscious Justezea but those were snuffed out by the unchangeable fact that this story already had an end.

"Of course, you would assume that." the jolly old man said with a smile "Reality Zeta0043GF." the vampire's mood immediately fell onto the floor "During the Apocryphia that happened in that timeline a Wundermensch by the name of Fujimura Ritsuka won and met with Justezea, one that was still somewhat lucid."

"That's-"

"Not impossible, and since we Wundermensch are connected we could start dialog with her and suggested for her to connect with her own selves throughout the dimensions so that the main Justezea in Zeta0 may regain at least a moderate amount of sentience."

"But Ritsuka Fujimura is-! Wait, what did you just say?" Zelrecht felt sweat forming on his brow.

"You sent so many centuries as an undead that you have forgotten what it means to be Human. We have known about your little side project Chaldea right from the beginning. Ritsuka has decided to join your group so that the Humanity that the Servant's, those heroes, have lost could be regained." the jolly old man wasn't so jolly as he looked at the cowering Vampire "Have you never wondered why only there were two versions of Ritsuka in the various versions of Chaldea? We Wundermensch never have just a single face. We take the appearance that makes people feel the most comfortable and secure, simple as that."

"You-"

"We got in contact with the Justezea in this dimension, Zeta0, and used your little system that you spent so many years to complete for our own devices. Rest assured we will never take Heroes who refuse to arrive here, only those who are willing and want to help in the depths of their hearts may arrive and be manifested by her."

"All this time…all this time you never left…you-"

"We can never die" whispered looking the largest in presence to Zelrecht since he arrived at the Clock Tower "Laugh as much as you want. Laugh at us who actually live for others and for the betterment of all. We will never resent someone with the potential to return to the path of the living."

"..." This couldn't be happening. What kind of monster was he dealing with? Sure he knew that Fujimura Ritsuka had indeed a Male and Female form but he simply thought that it was just the Multiverse doing what it always does.

But _this._

To think that a being with such extraordinary power had existed for so long and he wasn't even aware of it …no worse, this meant that during all the timelines, during all those pseudo Grail Wars and Vampire Hunts, this whole time those unreasonable people doing all those heartfelt and honest actions that frankly were irrational to magi standard were all interconnected beings.

"Does this mean that the old man helping Jean and Sieg was also one?"

"Hohoho, you finally used your head. He was a kind soul and honest as well and helped that young Homunculus in finding his own answers. Sure there are some who think that his fate was cruel but most of us agree that that child decided for himself what was important and what needed to be done."

This was bad. This meant the old jolly b*stard had really never left and kept tabs on his actions. Zelrecht truly felt grateful that Krampus hasn't appeared yet. To this day he was absolutely sue that the daemon only helped the old crook to get a kick out of the naughty kids screams. There was nothing more terrifying than a monster that held back an even greater beast.

"But alas time is running short these days it seems. That colleague you've called earlier probably already received notice that three Summons of Heroic spirits took place in Europe and while they might not know that its not yet another mock Grail War that was prepared by impatient children they do know how powerful the souls are." With that said the old jolly man got up from his seat and motioned at the workspace Kohaku and Hisui occupied. Two full sets of reindeer were manufactured and Zelrecht had to catch his jaw.

The quality of those automatons was high, very high even, so much so that he was sure that the audience in the background were thinking that they were real.

"Time to pack up children!" the jolly old man said clapping his hands, dissolving the workplace and bringing the artificial animals to life with a single breath "Say goodbye to that cranky old Vampire, will you?"

"Goodbye/Farewell Cranky old Vampire" the twins said at the same time waving also at the group in the background with big smiles before the animals started to dance around them and they disappeared.

Zelrecht stared at the space they had been, feeling each drop of blood in his veins run cold.

He immediately got up and walked past the masses of students that had been watching the Wizard Marshal's interaction with what they thought was Santa Claus. His secretary was already following after him and so were three of the Departments Chefs. He didn't turn around and neither did they speak with him. They already heard everything and could already guess that he might prepare countermeasures.

"Prepare to leave for Fuyuki. Call the Church as well. We have to prepare something sacrilegious to stop that Monster from turning our world upside down." he started already hearing the shuffling of feet.

"Who was that man? And those children?" one them asked, vary of Zelrecht's sudden behavior.

"That- The man you just saw was once known as Saint Nicklas, the patron saint of Children and the potential influence for that figment called Santa Klaus." he answered truthfully, clearly he was out of his mind if he shared this with so many people at once "And what nobody knows is that that man was the first man to hold the second Magic."

Sharp gasps followed after that statement, _So they haven't heard anything and only saw what he allowed them to_ he thought bitterly.

"Wait, but that was clearly a Servant!"

 _As if that mattered to him. He was a foul! He possessed knowledge of the first and second Magic and what did he do? He made toys! He spread love and joy and all that bullock, and where did that lead him?! Into direct conflict with Crimson Moon! That Monster could have killed that damn Vampire but he didn't! I had to! All because of some sense of goodness and all that crap. We all know how this story will end. It will end the same way all the others have, a tragedy._

He could never vice his true feelings like this, less he will be executed by the Barthomelloi. He really didn't want to deal with those after e narrowly evaded that Mishap.

"That was Servant Caster, he apparently was summoned due to the Grail malfunctioning. He said something about an Apocryphia which means the Back up system of the Holy Grail has been forcefully activated. We have to get in contact with the Overseer and get the clearer picture as to what is going on. Makiri Zouken might have tempered with the Grail itself." he was simply shifting the blame to a more suitable target, no harm will be done should that fool be disposed of now. The timeline was already damaged enough and it became unclear since he couldn't see the future of Type Mercury. Had it simply vanished or was it removed and placed in another dimension? It wouldn't be beyond that Monster to do something like that, especially since he could trick the Spider in its inactive state.

This business was getting messy. The lines were blurry and it seemed as if all eyes were on him.

"We have to summon our own Servant to moderate (engage in) the Grail War." he started already formulating plans with the Head of the Department of Summoning.

"We will call Ruler(Avenger) to deal with them and make sure that the War (that old b*stard) will go as its supposed to (will be eradicated). Ruler is normally a Saint or someone who has no desire for the Grail so we should summon Jean D'arc (Alter) since she already moderated in other Great Grail Wars as they are called."

He will get rid of the old man even if its the last thing he did.

…––––––––––…

"What is wrong?" she asked the child as they boarded the train. Caren, as the child forced her to call it, wasn't as outspoken as before and specks of uncertainty filled those yellow eyes.

"Don't turn around" the child whispered, alerting her of something "On that train are at least two _things_ that shouldn't be this close to the Vatican. One looks like a girl with pigtails but its soul looks vile and outright evil and the second is resting in her hand. It seems to be a book but it gives of the aura of a dozen people pressed into its confines."

She couldn't deal with the child having a panic attack now, so she lifted her up carefully. In the corner of her eye she saw three man similar dressed as the priest from before. Two at least managed to follow her since they left the Holy City and the other had mingled into the crowd and snaked his way closer to them. That one gave her a look, which she returned.

"Rest assured child, your friends have been following you to keep you safe." she said feeling the child's muscles relax and its heart rate lower. She was actually impressed by their devotion and how drive. Either their mission was to tail them until both her and the child were off the ground or their target had made itself notable.

She had chanced a look into the direction she girl had warned her not to, and feeling a slight chill as the woman the girl described was staring directly at her with eyes that didn't belong to a human. That was a beast in sheep skin playing human with the vile intent to make them suffer. That was an evil her religion taught her to kill at all costs.

She wouldn't though. There were to many risk factors, the child not excluded, and she was absolutely certain that that creature already knew who she was.

They had to get off this train as soon as possible without arousing suspicion. Geneva sounded like a safe bet for a quick escape.

Insbruck sounded like a safe bet.

…––––––––––…

Ilyasviel was slowly waking up. It had gotten dark and she felt herself laying in a warm and small bed.

Saber was watching her with a warm smile on her lips. When they arrived in town she didn't really know what she should do.

One, she was so hungry that she contemplated eating that cow walking on the street. Bu two, Ilya was still sleeping and she didn't have the heart to wake her up just like that. She knew how hard it must be for the child to be parted from her parents.

Sure her own mother wasn't **Mother** - **of-the-year** material but she had still missed her when he left her. And Ilya must go through something similar.

She had repressed her hunger and instead rented them a flat for the rest of the day and the night. Thank god they had enough money in the car otherwise they would have need to sleep in the car and she was sick of sleeping on uncomfortable ground. She had enough of that in her own timeline and she didn't want this child to become as bitter as him.

She was going to protect Ilya and bring her safe to her parents. Saber was contemplating ditch the car. From what the townsfolk's told her there was a cargo train coming through the city close by. It was going straight to Bucharest and apparently transported cars and civilians alike.

She laughed a little. Something like this sounded like fantasies in her time but here he was learning about cultures, traveling with something that could go faster than a horse and contemplated traveling with a steel horse.

Times have changed and she wondered how Ilya was going to like Insbruck once they got there.

…––––––––––…

to be continued…

…––––––––––…

Let the wild ride begin!

A/N: I am somewhat aware that I might have messed up with the locations of train treks and airports and maybe with how the second magic works but Meh~ that's just my interpretation of it.

I'm sorry that I ended up not uploading for such a long time. I only wrote this chapter from scratch 'cause I was fired from my job on Monday and have felt a little down.

I hope I have entertained you and that you're still with me on this ride!

Yours dear Sha Yurigami

p.s. This chapter is dedicated to **earthraindragon1** who somehow made me remember something very important and for that buddy thank' you XD

P.s. For all those that are confused as to why Tristan got replaced by Atlanta...blame Fate/Apocryphia for that. I had replaced him because itwouldn't make sense to have even more knights of the round table as participants for the Fourth Grail War, we already have Arthur, Lancelot and Mordred, any more and we would need to rename it to "Holy Knights of Rounds Grail War with some others". And the most important reason as stated before this story aims to be a hurt comfort story with the literal patron Saint of Children right in the middle of it, and seeing that Santa's legend is filled with so much nonsense that the Nasu-verse would describe as Magic, why not have him be the teacher of Zelrecht? The old vampire is at least eight centuries younger than Santa if I can trust the wiki...wouldn't be so out there right?

And then we got the Problem with Atlanta...damn did her motivation and inner strength make her awesome! It would have been a crime not to add her as she got the short straw in Apocryphia.


	9. Rejections and Considerations

…––––––––––…

What a twist of fate it was, to be summoned by a child that had to suffer, maybe even more than her own daughters. The rage she felt at that time was still burning so bright and terrifyingly that she had to actively repress it alas the child would be scared of her.

After leaving those ruins she made her way towards the mountains in the far distance. She had sensed her kind throughout the city -a city she couldn't believe existed as her own time was so far back that the closest sight to these were the large settlements of the Romans- with the child rest in her arms.

A scowl formed on her lips as she thought about the pain the child might feel. She pulled her cloak tighter around the child's freezing body. Though it was unsettling that the girl hadn't reacted or even awoke from her slumber once despite the treatment she received before she arrived. The only thing she was aware though was that those vile creatures were still clinging to the child's flesh and her anger spiked at the thought.

She mostly evaded the civilian settlements out of fear that someone might mistake her as a childnapper and she truly didn't feel like explaining should she really be questioned. Her nature as a Berserker was thankfully weakened due to her being summoned directly by the Greater Grail, but it still worried her that she couldn't help the child beyond slaying that creature.

She strode forward, aware that the presence of her kind was growing closer but she remained cautious and kept her own appearance low. Who knows if they were kindred spirits or one of _them._

Then she felt the tremor in the distance. Not far away from the exact place she was heading towards. It was one of her own, maybe just now summoned. But why had she felt it for such a long time then? Maybe they haunted the one who was supposed to summon them and only now arrived. Or their presence only know truly manifested.

Boudicca didn't mind it though, at least now they were tangible.

A cough from the child alerted her. She knew, that she couldn't exterminate the worms entirely, she couldn't help the child without severely injuring her either – some hero she was – and she really hoped that the one summoned then was able to help her in some form or fashion.

…––––––––––…

"So you're trying to tell me that his Servant appeared from the same summoning circle as Archer?" Risei Kotomine asked the child while the green haired Servant remained by her side and didn't express anything but an interest in the bible he took from somewhere. The old priest felt a growing headache form on the backside of his skull and he wouldn't be surprised if it showed on his face.

"And my son lead you downstairs because you were _interested_ in the summoning. Do I understand that correctly?" the child seemed to retreat into herself with each word he said. It was difficult enough for him to talk to his friend's child without showing his confusion and anger -of course not directed at the child herself but her own flesh and blood father.

He was just contacted by Father Cornelius that Caren had summoned a Servant and was on her way to Fuyuki but to make matters even more complicated was the fact that he had felt at least three additional summons in the city which meant that the Back Up feature of the Greater Grail was compromised by a third party or something was horribly wrong in this Grail War.

Either way he had to fulfill his duty as an overseer until the Ruler Class Servant is summoned and took over his duties. Truthfully speaking he felt more comfortable with Jean D'arc or Shirou Amakusa Tokisada or any other Saint overseeing the war since they could directly interfere in the Servants fights and thankfully had no desire for the Grail whatsoever. Impartiality incarnate was one of the virtues of that particular class after all.

But that still didn't mean that he could just ignore the fact that a child managed to summon a Heroic Spirit. What was the Grail thinking giving a child this much power? Or rather, how was the child even capable of sustaining a powerful Servant like the green haired one? Certainly she was an _Average_ _One_ but that couldn't be all there was to that? And then there was the matter of those white Command Seals.

"May I?" he knelt down and gently pried Rin's hand from her chest to get a better look at the strange markings.

"I'm sorry Father…" the child whispered, fear clearly in its voice. He had to repress the urge to sigh deeply and instead caressed the marked hand with a thumb.

"Don't be Rin-chan. It's not like you intentionally summoned this Servant." he spoke with a soft voice, one he used when he'd talk with his grandchild. There was something unusual about the the pattern and it wasn't formed like the regular Command Seals, they even seemed to glow faintly…He would need to investigate this matter calmly. He slowly got up from his position to look at said Heroic Spirit.

"Would you be so kind and tell me the reason why you answered the summon?" Every Servant had a wish, a desire, something that made them seek out the Grail and this one still seemed more aloof than anything else. That smile though. Was it male or female? And why the sudden interest in the lords teachings?

"I heard my Master's cry and answered her." the Servant stated laying the holy scripture on his lap and patting Rin's head.

"What?" the priest was slightly surprised by that answer "What do you mean with that?"

"It's as I said, my Master has cried and I wanted to comfort her. Hence why I came to this world once again." by this time even Rin looked at him in utter shock. The child then slowly started to fume and Risei had to remind himself that he wasn't dealing with Tokiomi, but his daughter. A daughter that was rather infamous for her tantrums.

"What do you mean I cried!?" the child nearly screamed, hurting the old man's poor eardrums "I don't cry! I'm not some little kid!"

"But aren't you still very young?" the Servant asked to which the child gaped "And there is nothing shameful with crying. And if I recall correctly I heard the name _Sakura_ when I answered the call."

Risei, this time for real, bit on his lower lip when he heard that. Of course he had known that Tokiomi sent his youngest child to the Matou's out of -what his friend assumed to be- kindness for the declining Magus family. But to hear that the child that was forced to part with her sister had cried out of the repressed agony…

"I-I" hearing it and seeing it are two different things and the priest truly felt like punching something when he saw Rin tearing up slightly "That's not true…we-we promised…" the child continued but at that point he had enough. Apparently the Servant did too as he patted Rin's head with a gentle smile on his lips.

"It's okay. If you don't want to talk about it then we can once you're more comfortable." the Heroic Spirit said continuing to calm the child "There is also the matter of the Servant approaching the church at this moment."

The words didn't register at first, then for the first time in years Risei's eye opened in shock. Just in time too, as the doors to the church flew open and revealed a certain golden clad Servant with an expression of utter shock on his face.

"Is that you?" he golden Servant asked stepping closer to the green haired one. In fact he apparently forgot what personal space was **or** that he was in a church as he immediately rushed towards and grabbed the androgynous Servant's face and nearly pressed it against his own in a more than child-inappropriate-proximity.

The old priest nearly fell over to cover Rin's eyes from the scene when it wasn't for the glare the golden Servant sent towards the child, making him nearly pass out from the intensity.

" **You, how dare you call upon the king's property like this? Only I am allowed to call him forth. Die for your ignora-OOOOOOOOHhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaa!"** the golden Archer doubled over holding his groin as his face contorted in pain. His red eyes bulged from his head and the priest could see each blood vessel pop from what he himself would describe as excruciating pain of heavenly proportions.

Towering over the heaving King was Rin's Servant with an indifferent look on his once gentle features and Risei was more than sure that he already figured out who this Servant was. Which didn't help this old man's growing migraine. Even Rin appeared to be perplexed by what happened before the child slowly started to snicker.

" **Youooooooooohhhh!"** the King groaned glaring at the child while the Servant in front of him knelt down and took a good look at him.

"Isn't it childish to argue with a child my King? Surely your ego hasn't corrupted your heart again otherwise I'm inclined to teach you humility once more." the green haired hero spoke, his tone gentle and his expression soft but Risei couldn't help but feel the shudder that ran over his back.

" **Enkiduuuuuuhhh! My friend and rival, ugh, how could I not** listen to your sweet voice? Of course I can forgive the child, but if she **dared to touch you** my priced possession then I have to put it in its **place**." The golden Servant slowly got up from his crouch, visibly shaken from the kick the green haired one delivered to his crotch and even the dent it left was very visible.

"Lancer. That's the class I was given and no, I'm not yours my King, I'm with Rin for the duration of the war." Risei had to actively bite his lip otherwise his jaw would drop and going by the look on the Golden King's face he was glad that he choose to do so.

The King's face was contorted into a visage of pure rage and anger with veins popping in places where they shouldn't be visible at all **"YOU-** " his red eyes darted to the child but Lancer's hand grabbed his face and hefted him up to a standing position in front of him.

"If you continue to look at my Master with that look I'm tempted to rip it off your face and eat it, and we both don't want that to happen right?" at this point Risei knew that it was futile to stop his mouth from hanging. He actively gaped at that interaction and couldn't help but feel more than frightened by the expression of ecstasy that appeared on the King's face.

" _You would?_ " the once terrifying appearing King spoke with a tone better suited for a Korean Drama series.

Everything was wrong. So very very wrong! This wasn't the King of Heroes Tokiomi claimed to be the strongest Servant to ever exist. No, this was a love struck possessive egomaniac with an unhealthy obsession for his "friend" that bordered insanity!

And all the tension in the air evaporated when innocent laughter filled the air.

His old ears didn't deceive him as he looked at Rin giggling like a child. It was far to easy to lose your humanity walking down the path of a Magus, something Risei knew well since he had known both Tokiomi and his father for a long time, but seeing the child laugh so unabashedly was a grim reminder that he had never seen nor heard the child laugh in all the time he had known her. It was something he became accustomed to, not seeing the child smile or laugh in a repressed manner.

Rin was keeling over and holding her stomach as she watched both Servants "argue", probably not understanding the undertones of what they said, and simply laughed at their actions.

Still, he would pay any amount of money to the greatest of painters to capture Gilgamesh's exasperated face. But surely such a sight was priceless in its own right.

…––––––––––…

When she found them, Boudicca wasn't exactly sure what she was looking at. At first glance a scantly clad woman with beautiful white hair and skin was hugging a brunette girl wearing a pullover and skirt. Both were crying and screaming and she didn't know if it appeared rude to interrupt them from, well, _that._

"Uhm, I hate to interrupt whatever you are having but,"

Her voice, in the middle of the night, broke them off of each other. Their eyes simultaneously landing on her and the child in her arms. At least they seemed like friendly people, even with the snot hanging from their noses.

"Can you help us?" Boudicca asked "Mine Master isn't feeling well and since you appear to have a command seal similar to her- Oh, where are my manners." she bowed to the best of her ability "I'm Berserker."

"Oh dear…" the white haired one said holding a hand in front of her mouth while she stared at Sakura. A sudden impulse of rage filled her, but she knew that it was just the Berserker Class side-effect.

"Zecchan…quick" the albino muttered while the brunette quickly got up and bowed.

"o-Ossu! Ma name pis stu-Student Zerro! I mean Tiger! No! Taiga Fujimura!" the brunette chirped while the one standing behind her shook her head in embarrassment. A quick slap to the back followed and the girl recomposed herself.

"Sorry about that, Uhm, Berserker-san? I'm Caster, but please just call me Iri." the Servant introduced herself with grace, something Boudicca had seen often during from Houses of old traditions. "But first; how can we help you?" The Servant asked her with those red eyes ablaze with the fire only a fellow mother could understand.

Boudicca relaxed visibly. She laid Sakura on the ground right in front of her while the Albino started to fuss and descended right next to her. She was grateful that these people were so friendly and that they went straight to the point.

"When she summoned me, her _relative_ " Iri picked up on her tone but focused her hands, a yellowish white light emitting from them, over the child instead of interrupting her "had thrown her to the worms and they festered-" Boudicca had to bite the inside of her mouth before a growl could leave her throat but Taiga's hands on her shoulders told her that they understood.

"Okay, that should do." Iri said the light around her hands hand seeped into Sakura and the child's complexion turned from purple to a more dark-ish blue. The child's breathing also returned somewhat to normal and the visible strain the child had before had turned into a calm relaxed expression.

Boudicca stared at the Caster and wasn't sure what to say "Uhm, what?" was all that could leave her and Taiga's mouths.

"Well If you end up becoming a living incarnation of the Holy Grail you end up picking up one or two things about reverting Cause and Causality and-" the albino stared tilting her head like a bird and looking at her and the Master with a confused look before they interrupted her.

" **WHAT?!"**

"Well, I am technically the Irisviel from this Holy Grail War but my memories have been mingled with the Irisviel who become a Heroic Spirit." the Caster explained while Boudicca and Taiga looked at her with wide open mouths "It's the main reason as to why I remember Zecchan, but I do believe that my Grail War was very different."

It was at that moment that Taiga had ,thankfully, interrupted her with both her hands held in front of her and a look of utter confusion on her face "Okay I believe that's a conversation we shouldn't have in the open in the middle of the night Shishou!" The master got up from the ground and extended her hand to Boudicca.

"How about you and your Master come with us to my home, nobody will bother us when we go there and we can discuss what exactly is going on in this war, is that okay Berserker-san?" she had to smile at the girl. That honesty and the way she smiled reminded her of her youngest daughter and she felt, even a little, that she could trust her guts to follow this girl.

She hefted up Sakura into her arms again following after the other pair.

"By the way Shishou" Taiga asked her Servant.

"Hm?"

"Why is your attire so…bare?"

Both Servant's had to pause at the last word. A chuckle escaping her lips as she watched the white skin of Caster turning into deeper shades of red with each passing moment. She had to hold in her laughter otherwise the child in her arms would wake up; then again she truly felt glad that she found these two instead of the other pair in the far distance.

For now she just wanted to stick together with her new allies as Iri's scream of embarrassment was too delightful not to like.

…––––––––––…

Saber was watching herself in the mirror. Something she had never done before in her time despite her mother always telling her how he looked like his father. A loose hand grabbed one of the strands of his hair and he wondered if he should cut it off, might make him look ore like a man and then her Master would address him with more respect.

Of course that thought was dismissed nearly immediately and she watched the child on the bed with a look filled with curiosity and wonder.

One of his hands reached out to touch the child's puffy cheek, brushing a lonely strand of hair aside as the princess slowly rose.

Princess? Was her Master a princess? What makes one a princess anyway? In her own time princesses lived in Castles, had maids and could have whatever they wanted in large quantities…Yep, sounded exactly like Ilya…

Ilya? Was Ilya even a princess name? They were in Germany but her Master's name didn't sound German at all, more like a frankensteinian cross between Russian and German and, who would name their child with a "-viel" at the end of their name? Didn't "viel" mean "much"? Should a princess be named Ilyamuch?

Curse her British roots for overthinking these things…or maybe~

"Good-muuuahhhh-ning" the child greeted, red irises slightly dimmed from the slumber said princess had awoken from. He smiled down and patted the child's head affectionately, carefully patting the hair aside to make the child look more presentable.

"Good morning _**Illi**_." she said with a cheeky grin forming on her lips. It took the child a couple moments and one or two attempts at blinking to register what she just said. Then a brilliant blush formed on both those puffy cheeks and Saber couldn't help but laugh.

"Huh? Wawaw-What did you call me?!" the child nearly screamed, now fully awake and covering itself with the blankets fully.

"But aren't you a princess Illi?"

"Bwha-?!"

"And aren't you German? Shouldn't a German princess have a nickname that sounds more _German_?" Saber enjoyed her Master's antics to their fullest. Ilya threw off the comforter and looked at her with a look that screamed ' _Don't embarrass me like that!'_ but she couldn't help it, that nickname sounded just too cute.

"Bwhah-Buwah-babababa-" Instead of continuing her antics Illi instead threw herself at her Servant and hit Saber playfully against the chest, burying her face into the Servant's shoulder in the process.

"Illi, once we've made you ready for the day and had our breakfast and lunch- Brunch in short- then we've got to catch a train not far from here okay?" Saber said stroking the still embarrassed child's back while they laid sprawled on the bed. She never knew that another bodies warmth felt so good, and she smiled how easy it felt to be human with the little princess in her arms.

"Did you sleep well…" the child asked, voice muffled by her shoulder but he heard the child loud and clear "…Onee-ni-sama?"

Saber had to double, scratch that, triple take that last statement "Wha-?!"

"Since Onee-nii-sama doesn't like to be called Onee-sama…" the child tried to explain but her mumbling slowly started to get incoherent and the Servant was left with a strange mix of satisfaction and confusion that ultimately decided to become gratitude. She hugged the child tightly, not too tightly or her stuffing's going to come out- and she repeated her nickname for the little princess.

In fact they rapidly called each other by their new nicknames until both of them felt more comfortable being addressed like that.

…––––––––––…

The strange creature hadn't acted so far and she was more than certain that the other strange creature currently clinging onto her arm was asleep and attempting to cut of her supply of blood from her limb.

She never had to care for others. It was a show of weakness and it wasn't becoming of her to let a potential liability weight her down in her duties.

Duty.

To think her brothers and sisters scooped so low as to seek a heretical object like the Holy Grail. Or maybe they were going to test the participants of the war and eliminate the anyone daring to reach that object? She couldn't help but wonder though, if that were to be the case why was she still here? No matter which of the Clan Leaders was summoned, surely at least one of them would have reduced the number of participants to the point it wasn't necessary for her to be here and yet the fact that she indeed existed meant that her brethren decided to pursuit the heretical symbol.

A sad thought indeed, as it meant that the others could have strayed from the teachings of their lord.

They need to be punished. It didn't matter anyway, to be summoned by the Grail meant to desire it, hence she was going to deliver swift judgment and pray for forgiveness.

However their destination was approaching at a rapid pace. Tempted to shrug the child off her arm she instead leaned down to wake it up. Yellow irises greeted her with an expression of utter boredom marring the child's face.

"Are we going to jump off the train or not?" the child asked while Assassin had to wonder why it knew of her plan.

"Soon" was all she whispered, already resigning herself to the fate her god bestowed upon her.

…––––––––––…

"These people are…your friends…?" Raiga Fujimura asked his grandchild looking at the group behind her in bewilderment. While it wasn't strange for Taiga to bring along new friends to sleep over he never expected her to make friends with adults…well women like that. One of them even appeared to be a mother, judging by the child in the red head's arms, and the woman right beside his granddaughter surely looked like an Einzbern.

He felt the aneurysm form beneath his skull but he wasn't going to question the child for her company.

Even if said company looked like a cosplay group.

"Yep! Totally my friends! Nothing suspicious about that right?" Taiga's eyes were spinning but her laughter was still as energetic and innocent as when she left this morning, meaning he wouldn't need to worry and could enjoy his granddaughter's companionship leisurely.

"Sure, just get inside, the lady beside you looks like she's going to freeze in that outfit- look! The woman clearly has a fever brewing with how red she looks!" Of course he was oblivious to the repressed laughter of the group and the look of terror on the albino's face but, well, such was life right?

…––––––––––…

"Sorry about my grandfather…" Taiga whispered once they were in her quarters. The group of cronies outside was glared away by both Boudicca and a fuming Iri so they were thankfully able to relax for now.

"It-" the red head had to cover her mouth while red irises slowly turned to her with a murderous gleam "Your family seems very lively." she managed to say with her face trying its hardest not to laugh.

"He could've at least had the decency not to make fun of me. He might have feint his obliviousness but I know exactly how men like him fake it." Iri said wearing a pink Kimono instead of her earlier garb, much to Taiga's pleasure since she had know her Shishou like this the most.

"Believe me he didn't mean it. And while we're on the subject; Shishou, does Kiritsugu act oblivious?"

Iri visibly pondered at that question "I don't know" she said while her brows furrowed and her eyes lost focus "It seems like I couldn't fuse correctly with my version of this war…"

"That makes sense. After all the War shouldn't have started. The first Caster was summoned not to long ago, and our comrades haven't arrived in the city yet." Boudicca said, vaguely aware where the conversation is heading but still not believing it. This meant that the Servant beside the her was the youngest Heroic spirit to date.

"Huh~…wait!"

"Oh"

Both Iri and Taiga were starring at Boudicca as if she'd grown a second head. The red head visibly recoiled from the stares and shielded the child laying behind her out of instinct.

" _ **There're two of SHISHOU/ME"**_

Both of them screamed, thankfully unable to wake Sakura, and held their heads in dramatic poses. The Berserker had to wonder how these two didn't come to the conclusion already, but she argued that it might have been them just not realizing it since they finally reunited.

"Wait! Does this mean I have to fight with myself for Saber-chan's attention?!" Iri screamed to both the other's shock.

"Saber-"

"-chan?"

The red head and brunette exchanged looks before turning their attention back to the wailing Caster.

"Maybe we should change the subject?" Taiga voiced, watching her Shishou listing off a couple of things that slowly flew over their heads.

"Good suggestion." Berserker agreed, feeling the sweat slowly falling from her brows.

"You said something about comrades, does that have anything to do with why another pair of Servants got summoned by the Grail?" Taiga asked rocking side to side on her futon, while she watched the older woman ponder her words.

"Technically yes but I also didn't receive more information than that. The only things I do know are that the Greater Grail isn't allowed to be touched and that the additional Seven Servant's summoned are to unsure that our Masters receive happiness."

Taiga looked at the Berserker scratching her chin before her eyes fell on the sleeping child. The little girl's complexion turned completely from when she first laid eyes on her. What was once purple changed into a darkish blue and the once pale skin changed into a more lively color.

"Are all the additional Servants summoned by children?" she asked and Boudicca frowned at the implication of her words "I know that the Holy Grail War is a very serious business for Magi and that they don't really care who dies in them…"

"I wouldn't worry about that Zecchan."

Both of them turned to Iri looking very proud of herself "Uhm, Shishou?"

"Even if all the Masters are too young I can guaranty that no harm will come to them." Iri stated, smiling and pointing at herself "After all that's what I am here for!"

Taiga and Berserker exchanged a look before they both decided to speak up on an important matter "About that Caster, what you had said before-"

"-You said you were the Grail incarnate, right Shishou?" Taiga finished while Iri smiled a little sad.

"That's right. The Heroic Spirit version of me was indeed the vessel for the Lesser Grail but ascended due to the circumstances in that Grail War. In fact _**I**_ barely remember half of the things that happened to _me_ during that War, that might be because _I_ as a Heroic Spirit combined with **me** who died during the Forth Grail War." Iri looked at her hands sadly and started to play with her fingers.

"But that's just the thing!" Taiga exclaimed loudly grabbing the attention of both Servants "You're still alive in this War Shishou! I saw you and Saber-san wandering through the town today!" a quick glance at hr night table to confirm the date "And you even waved at me! You're still alive!"

"Oh…then, does that mean _**I**_ _'_ m from the future?" Iri asked tilting her head while Berserker ran a hand through her red locks " **That** might explain why _I_ can't remember certain things, and why **me** and Zecchan still know each other."

"…I'm…hungry…" a tiny voice admits the group said. All women's(Taiga included) faces turned to the new slowly waking up child that had interrupted their _heated_ argument _._

"Sakura…" Berserker whispered gently brushing a loose strand on the child's forehead aside while a growl escaped from another girl's stomach.

Green and ruby irises turned to watch a slowly reddening brunette in amusement.

"I agree with Sakura-chan! We should totally stuff some food into our bellies!" the brunette chirped rushing out of the room and yelling at the Yakuza outside to get them food.

The adults watched her leave with smiles on their faces.

…––––––––––…

"By the way, you never told me your name." Caren said yawing from the long train ride, something she never did before and now she certainly never wanted to again. Was it normal for a ride to be so...boring? Her yellow eyes turned to the Assassin she held onto. Of course she knew of the three Executioners on the train, probably the main reason her Servant hadn't bolted out of the window yet.

She mulled it over before but she really didn't understand what Father Cornelius told her fully. Sure she knew her father left to become some heretics apprentice for something but she didn't know he was going to participate in a Holy Grail War…

But why were people even fighting for the chalice of the last dinner or Christ? Couldn't they all just sit at a table and debate with cake and tea who gets a turn with the cup first instead of childishly fighting over it with, what she could understand of, Heroic figures in a game that doesn't really sound not exciting.

Besides why are heroic figures who made their mark in history called Servants to begin with? Sure everyone is a servant of the Lord Almighty but the lady next to her was a Muslim. So that theory was going nowhere but she discarded the thought for something else that was far more important:

She was allowed to leave the boring old Vatican.

Not only that but she even got to travel by train -which was something she had always wondered about but as it turned out it wasn't like all those commercials the Cardinals were talking in their little hidden room- and she got to see more of Italy, which was a whole lot of green and brown!

No however she was bored and since there was nobody else to pester beside the other passengers -which would be incredibly rude was she to disturb them on this atrocious journey- she turned her whole attention on her slav-…Servant.

"…I don't have one."

"A No Name Assassin then."

"I also don't deserve to be called that. I haven't earned my place among them-" the woman stopped herself from continuing but Caren was sure that No Name Assassin hadn't meant to say so much. She found comfort in knowing that she gave the older woman discomfort, finally breaking something on that stone cold facade.

"We're going to leave." No Name said looking at her for a brief moment.

Looking at the display at the front of the wagon "Without a train station?"

"We are going to jump"

Looking outside and only seeing mountains and what she'd describe as a _large fall to your death_ "Without a parachute?"

"…" Instead of answering her the Servant hefted her from her seat and quickly grabbed her around the waist "Don't bite your tongue" she said before Caren felt a drop in her stomach. She knew as a fact that if she looked down now than she'd lose her bowl right about now, hence why she resolved herself to only look at her _servant._

" _Shouldn't a servant serve?"_ she asked but due to their fast decent and the low air pressure her voice got lost admits the cold Alpine Air.

At least she got a glimpse of a white limousine model Mailander driving through the snowy mountains.

Strange.

Why could she saw a red aura around the car?

…––––––––––…

to be continued…

…––––––––––…

Teaser:

"So you're our Assassin?"

"I don't remember being part of a group with a buffoon like you."

"Uhm, I was talking to the lady you're clinging to-"

"And I want to know why we are talking on top of a moving train cart."

"…You must have it hard…"

"…You have no idea…"

…––––––––––…

 _A/N Time! So sorry for the late updates. I'm not sure how many people will read this note but know that I will at least try to update once a week! I enjoy writing this story because the characters are to me very tragic and I hate tragedies with a passion!_

 _This story might have confused a couple of people, especially the last chapter with the talk about Zeta and the change of Archers, so I'll use this note to explain them to you here since I don't want to bother with adding too many details into the story:_

 _The Zeta refers to the section of the Kaleidoscope Zelrecht Zeta0 has access to. Imagine one the Kaleidoscope as a prism. And now imagine many Prisms. Each prism has one Zelrecht who oversees the realities within their Kaleidoscope, hence the Second Magic. Now one might question why we should bother with that image._

 _Simple._

 _In Fate/Strange Fake we see that Zelrecht is cutting light strings in his chair outside of time and space while describing possible scenarios with his reality, hence why I came up with the light allegory._

 _In quantum theory revolving around Qualia, light is a constant. One ray of Light equals a reality. One ray shining through a prism breaks the light and creates new shapes, colors or forms depending on the crystal/prism used. But since that'd be too difficult we simplify it by using the image of a prism that breaks one ray of light into myriads of shapes aka parallel realities. You could use the branching of realities as a basis and then go fully three dimensional; but that is how I'll explain the second Magic in this story okay._

 _And the change of Servant's happened mainly because St . Nick wanted to mess with Zelrecht and show him that no matter what the Vampire tried to stop him it wouldn't work since the Servants could just be changed on a whim in certain circumstances._

 _And I wanted to put Atlanta in the story because of her unfortunate role in Fate/Apocryphia -which to my surprise was the gentlest Fate series I have seen so far- and I paired her up with Luvia to see how they'd work as a team. Than again I bet Atlanta'd be pretty happy to have a child as a Master since she loves children so much XD_

 _If there are more questions please leave a review or send me a pm and I'll answer them to the best of my ability!_

 _Thank you for reading and have fun with this tale of redemption!_

 _Yours dear,_

 _Sha Yurigami_


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